


Doctor Who Fanfiction - Series 9B Scripts: "The Lost Oswalds," or the hidden history and fate of one Clara Oswald

by ScottV_25or6to4



Series: The Lost Oswalds [1]
Category: Doctor Who
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-11-26
Updated: 2017-05-21
Packaged: 2018-09-02 07:05:15
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 3
Words: 38,063
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8655298
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ScottV_25or6to4/pseuds/ScottV_25or6to4
Summary: Welcome, Whovians!Imagine, if you will, a parallel universe wherein there are several more episodes to Doctor Who's 9th (historically, 35th) Series. Episodes providing one fan's answers to questions about the 11th/12th Doctors' companion, Clara Oswald, while attempting to fill at least one major plot-hole in her and The Doctor's timeline. New characters join familiar faces in a struggle to save our universe from a parallel-reality threat. The stories to follow are the scripts of these - in our universe, missing - episodes. Enjoy!Warnings: This is a story about, more than featuring, Clara Oswald. Fans of Clara should know I'm not so much changing Series 9 history as adding additional depth to a character I love and admire. (Tissue boxes on standby.)Now if you hate Clara Oswald and/or Jenna Coleman, a piece of advice: just stop right here and move on. These stories will only drive you mad.Author's Note: Quoted lines from actual (our universe) episodes are cited at the end of each Series 9B script, from the earliest known episode in which it is spoken. If you think I missed a quote, or an earlier reference to a quote, feel free to let me know in the comments.





	1. Script 9B1: The Dreams Of Osiris Oswin

DOCTOR WHO  
FANFICTION STORY

“The Dreams Of Osiris Oswin”  
by  
Scott Van Denham

17/05/2016

© Scott Van Denham 2016

 

01 - RURAL YORKSHIRE ROAD – DAY 

Fade up on a rural collector road, about 100 metres away. Farmers’ fields on both sides. Camera follows as a large dump truck (lorry) rolls into shot and along the road until it passes the end of a centuries-old rock wall on the road’s far side. Shot holds, slowly zooms in on the end of the rock wall.

CAPTION: 5 MARCH, 2005

Fx: An old-fashioned red telephone booth materializes a few metres behind the wall, only the top half visible. Seconds later, two individuals get out and walk toward the road in mid-conversation. Both appear to be recent incarnations of The Master/Missy – as played by John Simm and Michelle Gomez. Only The Master doesn’t call her Missy, and she doesn’t have Missy’s unique fashion sense. But if not Missy, then…  
(Camera: intercut close-ups and two-shots.)

THE MASTER  
Of course it will work! I've done it several times myself.

OSIRIS  
Oh yes, and they’ve worked out so well before, haven’t they?

THE MASTER  
Well, not every single time, but

OSIRIS  
Hence my hesitation.

THE MASTER  
With all the regenerative energy you have left, inhabitation should go smoothly for you. And, the result should be more stable.

OSIRIS  
What about our subject? The young woman?

THE MASTER  
Compatible human DNA, of course.

OSIRIS  
You just described a tissue sample.

THE MASTER  
Yes. Well aren’t we all?

OSIRIS  
My next body!

THE MASTER  
Yes, okay! She’s young, she’s feisty, and healthy… as humans go.

OSIRIS  
Now she’s a house pet! By the way, aren’t humans The Doctor’s pet project, and the Earth his ‘home-away-from-home’?

THE MASTER  
Yes. What are you getting at?

OSIRIS  
Are your new plans, you know, ‘Doctor-proof’? He has a good track record of proving them otherwise.

THE MASTER  
I would say that my current plans are actually rather ‘Doctor-friendly’.

OSIRIS  
Right. So where is this human I’m supposed to inhabit?

The Master checks his watch, looks down the road. A sharp bend at the rock wall’s far end, about 50 metres away.

THE MASTER  
She should be along any time now.

OSIRIS  
And the DNA inverter?

THE MASTER  
Got it. Right here.

The Master takes a tablet-sized device from his jacket, hands it to Osiris. She reads the screen (close-up) and taps a few checks before and giving it back to him. 

OSIRIS  
Well. This might actually work. I was starting to think you were setting me up for…

Osiris is distracted by the sound of screeching brakes and crunching metal.

 

CUT TO:  
02 – CAR CRASH SCENE, FAR END OF ROCK WALL – DAY 

An compact automobile has slammed into the far end of the rock wall and spun around, the passenger door flung open.

 

CUT TO:  
03 - RURAL YORKSHIRE ROAD – DAY 

OSIRIS (cont.)  
What the Hell was that?

THE MASTER  
You really haven’t been to Earth before, have you? (runs off) This…

The Master, excited, motions for Osiris to follow him as he runs toward the wreck.

 

CUT TO:  
04 – CAR CRASH SCENE – DAY 

THE MASTER (cont.)  
…is a car crash, a popular human pastime from the 20th and 21st Centuries. Rather violent one, too. Thins the population somewhat, although the process is a bit random.

At the wreck, The Master, confused, looks around for something. Osiris catches up, looks… unimpressed? Revulsed?

OSIRIS  
And kind of messy, if you ask me.

THE MASTER  
Okay, then. That’s unexpected.

OSIRIS  
What’s wrong?

THE MASTER  
The girl. Your new you.

OSIRIS  
Yes?

THE MASTER  
There should be two of them, a mother and her daughter.

OSIRIS  
The door is open. Maybe she

THE MASTER  
She’s been thrown out. Of course!

The Master looks across the road, sees something. He runs over to have a look. Osiris is focused on the woman in the car.

OSIRIS  
So this isn’t her then?

THE MASTER – O/C  
No!

Osiris talks through the driver’s window to the dying occupant. 

OSIRIS  
Well, ma’am, between you and me, I thought you were perfect for the role. Oh, well. (attempts handshake) It was nice to meet you, anyway.

THE MASTER – O/C  
Are you coming?

 

CUT TO:  
05 – EMBANKMENT – DAY 

The Master runs down a shallow embankment, Osiris following. They find an unconscious young woman, still breathing.

THE MASTER (announcer voice)  
Osiris Oswin, citizen of Gallifrey, age… 

OSIRIS  
...three ninety-three,

THE MASTER (cont. announcer voice)  
meet Clara Oswald, citizen of Earth, age eighteen!

OSIRIS  
So that’s my new me then. Not a bad trade-off.

THE MASTER  
Trade-off? How?

OSIRIS  
You forget. Resurrect and inhabit the girl, and I lose a regeneration.

THE MASTER  
So? You’ll still have, what? Ten?

OSIRIS  
Yes, ten.

THE MASTER  
Ten regenerations left. What are you worried about?

OSIRIS  
You really want me to answer that question? (sighs) Let’s just get this over with.

Osiris and The Master grab hold of the DNA inverter. (Close-up on their hands, then Osiris.)

OSIRIS  
Ready? (The Master nods.) On three… one… two… three!

They activate the DNA inverter.  
Fx: a flash of yellow light between the two rebel Time Lords and the inverter. (Inverter has a smoke-n-spark show.) They both fall down. Sitting up a few seconds later, they check themselves over. The Master, now in Osiris’ body, goes first. 

THE MASTER (as MISSY)  
Well. This is different!

OSIRIS (in MASTER’S body)  
What have you done to this body? No wonder it’s on its last legs!

The Master points to the smoking DNA inverter and then to Clara, who is no longer breathing.

MISSY  
Perhaps you’ll want to hurry, then. 

OSIRIS  
As if I have any choice, now!

Osiris, in The Master’s old body, kneels down next to Clara, and puts his hand on her shoulder.  
Fx: a brilliant golden light envelops them as The Master’s body dissolves. The glow subsides, and Osiris slowly sits up in Clara’s body. She grimaces in pain.

MISSY  
Well?

OSIRIS (in CLARA’S body)  
Well, I have a crushing headache.

MISSY  
That’s nice. Meanwhile, I have to get used to these!

Missy cups her breasts. 

OSRIS  
You asked for them!

Then she gets up, reaches down and grabs her crotch like Madonna.

MISSY  
Oaugh, dang! And how can possibly be The Master without a

OSIRIS  
Please! And what the Hell’s with my voice? It sounds like

MISSY  
You’re from the North? Yeah, you are. Well, she is.

They walk back to the telephone booth, which is The Master/Missy’s TARDIS.

OSIRIS  
So why is it so important that I inhabit this Clara’s body, anyway? Why not you?

MISSY  
You’re younger, better suited to play Clara, which frees me up to organize the rest of my plan. 

 

CUT TO:  
06 – EXT. MISSY’S TARDIS – DAY 

They stop outside, as Missy picks up a discarded magazine and rolls it up tightly. Osiris doesn’t seem to notice.

OSIRIS  
And what exactly is the rest of your brilliant plan? By the way, you’ve developed an accent, too.

MISSY  
I plan on Doctor-proofing any new enterprises by providing my old friend with… shall we say, a distraction?

OSIRIS  
Distraction? 

MISSY  
Yes, as in you, my dear. You see Clara ties back to an old girlfriend of his. It’ll drive The Doctor crazy when he finds out how well I’ve set him up! 

OSIRIS  
Hang on! You have set me up? Well, don’t bet on me playing your silly games!

MISSY  
Oh, I’m not betting, Clara dear. And as for the accent: it’s Scottish! 

Missy whacks Osiris in the jaw with the rolled-up magazine, knocking her out. She drags Osiris by the feet into her TARDIS.

 

DISSOLVE TO:  
07- INT. MISSY’S TARDIS – DAY 

Missy, dressed as we know her, removes the headset of a chameleon arch from Osiris, who is now Clara once again. Sort of. In her hand, Missy holds a fob watch containing Osiris’ Time Lord DNA, puts it in the semiconscious Clara’s coat pocket.

MISSY  
Now don’t lose our little friend, eh? It would be such a shame!

CLARA (groggy)  
Huh?

 

CUT TO:  
08 – EXT. MISSY’S TARDIS – DAY 

Missy pushes Clara back outside, dumping her on the ground. The renegade Time Lord then smiles mischievously, breaking the fourth wall.

MISSY  
You’re welcome, Doctor!

Missy gets back in her TARDIS. Camera tilts down to show Clara sitting on the ground, holding her jaw as  
Fx: Missy’s TARDIS dematerializes behind her.

 

CUT TO:  
09 – OSIRIS’ BEDROOM – NIGHT 

Close-up on Osiris’ eyes as she gasps and startles awake. 

 

CUT TO:  
OPENING TITLES

 

DISSOLVE TO:  
10 - INT. TARDIS – DAY 

The console room appears empty as a phone starts to ring. A grunt of acknowledgement by the third ring. A thump and a clang, followed by…

THE DOCTOR  
Ow! Bloody phone!

The Doctor slowly emerges from under the other side of the time rotor floor, sonic screwdriver in hand, wearing an artsy t-shirt, bright pajama pants and socks (t-shirt reads “Rude, and still not ginger!”) He puts the sonic down, reaches for the phone; but he hesitates, looking up.

THE DOCTOR  
Sorry, old girl. Sorry. I didn’t mean to swear in front of you like that. It’s just…

He gestures to the phone on the console, which is still ringing. He tentatively picks it up.

THE DOCTOR  
Hello? Doctor Strangelove.

KATE STEWART (phone)  
Doctor, I’m so glad to hear your voice.

THE DOCTOR  
Kate Stewart, hello. What can I do for you?

 

CUT TO:  
11 – EXT. OFFICE OF THE CORONER, LONDON – DAY 

CAPTION: SPRING, 2016

Kate Stewart climbs out of a car while on the phone with The Doctor. She looks around, apprehensive. In the background: Office of the Coroner.

KATE  
The inquiry, Doctor. I don’t see your TARDIS. Where are you?

 

CUT TO:  
12 - INT. TARDIS – DAY 

THE DOCTOR  
Inquiry, Kate?

KATE (phone)  
Yes. The Coroner’s inquiry into what happened to Clara Oswald.

THE DOCTOR  
Clara. Yes. (Thinking: Mystery Girl, right. Must find diary.)

KATE (phone)  
Your companion, Doctor, recently deceased? That’s why you have been summonsed.

THE DOCTOR  
Summonsed?

 

CUT TO:  
13 - EXT. OFFICE OF THE CORONER – DAY 

THE DOCTOR (phone)  
That sounds serious.

KATE  
It should. I was able to cover for you last time, when your previous companions disappeared.

THE DOCTOR (phone)  
Amy and Rory.

KATE  
Yes. But this time, there was a body in the street. I was really hoping, Doctor, you could help the Coroner’s Office understand

 

CUT TO:  
14 - INT. TARDIS – DAY 

KATE (phone)  
what happened to her.

THE DOCTOR  
Thing is, Kate, I just don’t know. All I remember is Clara and I traveled to some places together, we stopped some wars, and she said something important to me on Gallifrey. At least I think it was there. (pause) I can’t even remember her voice! I do remember trying to erase her memory, to save her from something horrible, but it all went wrong somehow.

 

DISSOLVE TO:  
15 – THE CITADEL, GALLIFREY – DAY 

Fx: camera spins around and above the dome and spires of The Citadel before zooming down toward the central tower.

CAPTION: 21 NOVEMBER, 2015: BACK TO THE TRAP STREET

 

DISSOLVE TO:  
16 - INT. EXTRACTION CHAMBER – DAY 

Fx: Clara Oswald steps through a tall, narrow opening from the extraction chamber. She is back on the trap street, the moment before her death. For a long moment, she looks toward the infirmary. The Doctor, forlorn, stands frozen in time.

CLARA (sotto voce)  
I’m sorry, Doctor. (pause) Goodbye.

The opening narrows and disappears behind her. Tearing up, Clara turns to face the raven.

CLARA (sotto voce)  
“Let me be brave.”

 

DISSOLVE TO:  
17 – TRAP STREET FLASHBACK 

Fx: flashback to Face The Raven: The raven flies into Clara’s chest. She lets out an agonizing scream. Then,  
FX: fade to black silence, followed by the sound of bubbles in fluid.

 

CUT TO:  
18 - INT. RED BAG – DAY 

FX: (red) backlit scene of fluid. Bubbles; then a sustained, muffled, underwater noise. A scream? Hands thrash above the surface.

 

CUT TO:  
19 - INT. HOSPITAL ROOM, GALLIFREY – DAY 

CAPTION: 21 NOVEMBER, 2015: ELSEWHERE ON GALLIFREY

In the corner of a bare white room hangs a person-sized red bag with tubes and fibre optic leeds coming out of it. It bulges rapidly, wildly. Muffled, frantic sounds from within. There’s someone inside, trying to get out!

 

CUT TO:  
20 - INT. RED BAG – DAY 

A woman’s face breaks the surface, gasping for air. More thrashing.

OSIRIS  
Get me the Hell out of here! What is this?! Get me

 

CUT TO:  
21 - INT. HOSPITAL ROOM, GALLIFREY – DAY 

Two medical staff rush over to zip open the red bag. On the outside, a white tag says: Oswin: Osiris O. 

OSIRIS (cont. in red bag)  
out! Get me out!

Yellowy-green, slimy fluid pours out of the bag and onto the floor as the technicians pull the zipper down. Osiris Oswin tumbles out, coughing, spitting up slimy stuff, panting. She’s wearing a long hospital gown, soaked in the slimy stuff. She sits up, and swipes the waist-length hair from her face, only to flinch as she notices her inch-long fingernails. She looks up at her rescuers, unimpressed. (Camera: mostly wide shots to contrast Osiris’ state with that of the technicians.)

TECHNICIAN 1  
Madam Oswin, I 

OSIRIS  
What the Hell was I doing in that thing? No, better question: how long have I been in that… that…

TECHNICIAN 2  
Pralayic stasis recovery sack, Ma’am.

OSIRIS  
Right. Pralayic... what?!

She motions for someone to help her up. The technicians take each of her hands.

OSIRIS  
Oh, never mind the what. How about the when?

TECHNICIAN 2  
Ma’am we recommend you go slowly. It’s been

OSIRIS  
How long?

TECHNICIAN 2  
Ma’am?

OSIRIS  
How long?!

TECHNICIAN 2  
I dunno, Ma’am. I’d have to check.

OSIRIS  
You do that. Now, why was I in there, in that… recovery sack?

TECHNICIAN 1  
You arrived here unconscious, Ma’am. Comatose, actually, when you fell through the Untempered Schism during an initiation ceremony.

 

DISSOLVE TO:  
22 - THE UNTEMPERED SCHISM – NIGHT 

Fx: CG of Osiris (dressed as Clara, from The Name Of The Doctor) falling out of the Schism in front of a group of Time Lords in ceremonial dress, and a frightened 8-ish-year-old boy.

 

DISSOLVE TO:  
23 - INT. HOSPITAL ROOM, GALLIFREY – DAY 

OSIRIS  
But how? From where? How did I?

TECHNICIAN 1  
No one is sure, but when you fell through the Schism, you were in an advanced dream state with almost no vitals. You’ve been that way until now.

OSIRIS  
And you. How long has it been?

The technician checks a nearby set of monitoring equipment. He looks apprehensive.

OSIRIS  
Well?

TECHNICIAN 2  
Nine hundred fifty-five days, Ma’am.

OSIRIS  
Nine… hundred… and fifty-five days.

TECHNICIAN 2  
Yes, Ma’am.

OSIRIS  
That’s… that’s over two and a half years.

TECHNICIAN 2  
Yes, Ma’am, it is.

Osiris has a long thought about this as she shoos away the technicians, steadies herself against the monitoring equipment. 

TECHNICIAN 1  
Ma’am, do you remember what woke you up?

OSIRIS  
She died. I thought it was me, that I was her the whole time. But it couldn’t have been just a dream.

TECHNICIAN 2  
Who died, Ma’am?

OSIRIS  
Clara.

They have no idea who she’s talking about. (Kinda like a Whovian talking to a novice about Doctor Who, but I digress…)

OSIRIS  
Clara Oswald, The Doctor’s human traveling companion. It’s… complicated… but involves sharing astral-physical forms, using a chameleon arch, and an ungrateful Time Lord who left me behind and… buggered off!

TECHNICIAN 2  
Sharing astral-physical forms, Ma’am? That’s against the code of The Time Lords.

OSIRIS  
And what exactly is new about Time Lords breaking their own rules? 

Osiris smiles, looks into the distance, apparently lost in a memory.

OSIRIS  
But then, of course, I got into the head of a girl from Blackpool, and… well that changed everything. 

Osiris straightens herself. She shakes some slime from her hair, showering the technicians. Their turn to be unimpressed.

OSIRIS  
Right, then. Let’s see. I’ll need a nail clipper, a shower, some dry clothes, and especially something to eat. Dear God, I could eat a horse! 

TECHNICIAN 1  
A horse, Ma’am?

OSIRIS  
Of course! Two and half years in a coma can leave you famished! Oh, and you’ll need to mop and disinfect the floor. Seems I went #1 there after I fell out. 

TECHNICIAN 2  
#1, Madam Oswin?

OSIRIS  
Yeah, #1. Sorry about that, but my bladder really needed the break. It’s a whole lot  
better than going #2, though, dontcha think? Am I right?

Osiris play-punches the technician in the shoulder, but doing so causes her to slip on the slimy floor and she falls.

OSIRIS  
Wuaaaagh!

FX: Fade to black; followed by the sound of electronic beeping.

 

CUT TO:  
24 - INT. OSIRIS’ BEDROOM – DAY 

Osiris flinches upright and gasps as the bedroom lights come on. The electronic beeping; coming from? She looks at her watch. It’s not the alarm. 

CAPTION: BACK TO THE FUTURE…

She looks around for her phone. Not that, either. But the intercom is flashing an incoming message from “SAM”: her first mate and companion, Samantha Kane. She opens the line.

OSIRIS  
What is it, Sammy?

SAMANTHA (intercom)  
Skipper, it’s him! It’s him! The Grumpy Time Lord, himself!

Osiris sighs and rolls her eyes.

CAPTION: …AS IN 2025

OSIRIS  
Easy, fangirl. I’m on my way up.

 

CUT TO:  
25 - INT. OSIRIS’ TARDIS (a.k.a. “TESSIE”) – DAY 

Osiris quickly walks barefoot (and in her PJ’s) from a lower corridor into the console room and up the stairs. A short, messy mop of grey strands among the still-abundant brown. Looks like Clara, with more klicks on the odometer. And, if possible, even more attitude!

OSIRIS  
Okay, Sammy, what do we got?

Samantha – a blonde woman in her mid-thirties and a few inches taller than Osiris, is waiting for her, looking up at a very large television in split-screen mode. She points to one side, then the other, without looking at Osiris. Camera pans between the two screens.

SAMANTHA  
There’s his TARDIS, not even two hundred metres away. Just arrived a few minutes ago. And there he is, right now,

Camera zooms in on The Doctor on the second screen.

SAMANTHA (cont.)  
crossing Central Park West.

On a wide shot: it’s then Samantha notices her ‘Skipper’s’ attire. Gestures like WTF? Note: they BOTH pack a lot of attitude!

OSIRIS  
I was sleeping!

SAMANTHA  
Since when do you sleep?

OSIRIS  
On to important matters: any ideas where The Doctor might be heading?

SAMANTHA  
Well the Museum of Natural History is on the other side of the street. So is the 81st St. Subway station.

OSIRIS  
And the theatre? The Delacorte?

SAMANTHA  
(shakes her head) The other way.

OSIRIS  
Okay, then, so he isn’t here for the Shakespeare.

SAMANTHA  
No, but...

Samantha points to a Mediterranean food truck parked just past the intersection on 81st St. The Doctor has stopped there.

SAMANTHA  
…that’s where I got my coffee earlier.

OSIRIS  
You know what to do, then. Go get him, tiger.

Samantha throws on her denim jacket and smiles. 

SAMANTHA  
Aye, Skipper!

She grabs her metal coffee mug and (close-up) her copy of The Astrophysics Journal. She heads for the door.

SAMANTHA  
Wish me luck!

 

CUT TO:  
26 - EXT. TESSIE – DAY 

Samantha exits what looks like a tourist information booth and has a quick look around before walking to a park bench situated between The Doctor’s TARDIS and the food truck.

 

CUT TO:  
27 - INT. TESSIE – DAY 

Osiris observes The Doctor getting a coffee from the food truck. She turns away from the screen, leans back against the central console and crosses her arms.

OSIRIS  
And so it begins, Doctor, with the finish line in sight!

 

CUT TO:  
28 – CENTRAL PARK, NEW YORK – DAY 

Close-up on Samantha as she sits on a park bench, reading The Astrophysics Journal. Metal coffee mug next to her. She looks up for a moment. Her look suggests she sees something unusual, but returns to reading. A man comes up from her left. It’s The Doctor. He sits down, a disposable coffee cup in hand. Samantha doesn’t look up. He glances at her reading material, looks impressed. (Mostly back-and-forth cuts between Samantha and The Doctor, with a few wide shots.)

SAMANTHA  
You bought the strong stuff.

THE DOCTOR  
Yes. I like to stay awake.

SAMANTHA  
It’s not Turkish, but it’ll give you hair in places you don’t want it.(pause) At your age, though

THE DOCTOR  
At my age, what? (sniffs) Smells like you bought the strong stuff, too.

SAMANTHA  
My eyebrows are thinning. You, on the other hand: ever thought of being a living donor?

THE DOCTOR  
A living what? I should tell you right now I am not a fan of bantering.

SAMANTHA  
Aw. Bantering is cool!

THE DOCTOR  
Bantering is not cool. It’s annoying.

SAMANTHA  
Fine, then. So why don’t you just get on with it? That way I can burn you sooner.

THE DOCTOR  
Burn me? For what?

SAMANTHA  
You’re working up the courage to proposition me, aren’t you? 

THE DOCTOR  
No! I’m actually interested in why you’re reading The Astrophysics Journal. It’s not something most

SAMANTHA  
Women? Girls?

THE DOCTOR  
I was going to say ‘humans’, but I thought that might sound patronizing. On second thought

SAMANTHA  
You really want me to believe you’re not trying to flirt?

THE DOCTOR  
Yes.

SAMANTHA  
Really?

THE DOCTOR  
Yes!

Samantha looks up.

SAMANTHA  
Okay, then. Because if you are, I’ll have you know I’ve put creatures like you in the hospital for trying to play me.

THE DOCTOR  
Creatures? What? I-I’m not trying to… what is it? Play you?

SAMANTHA  
Yes. (gestures… frustration?) Just making sure.

THE DOCTOR  
Right. So, you’ve put creatures like me in the hospital before?

SAMANTHA  
Yeah. (looks around; leans in close) I’ve actually put one in the morgue. Felt really bad about it, for a while. I mean he probably had a family somewhere, but he attacked me first, so out came my trusty dagger, and…

Samantha leans forward, tapping twice on something hard under the back of her denim jacket. She smiles rather proudly. 

SAMANTHA  
…that was the end of his story!

THE DOCTOR  
Your dagger?

SAMANTHA  
Yeah. It’s quieter than a gun.

THE DOCTOR  
Right, then. Could we uh… sheath the dagger and start over?

SAMANTHA  
Sure. Introductions, I suppose?

THE DOCTOR  
Introductions, yes. How do you do? I’m The Doctor.

SAMANTHA  
“The” Doctor? My, aren’t we humble!

THE DOCTOR  
Oaugh, here we go again. More bantering!

SAMANTHA  
I’ll stop when you give me your real name.

THE DOCTOR  
You wouldn’t want my real name. Probably couldn’t pronounce it, anyway.

SAMANTHA  
What? No Mc or Mac? So the Scottish accent really is a fake, then?

THE DOCTOR  
No!

SAMANTHA  
Well, then, what? (pause) Oh, I know! You’re Welsh! Aren’t you? Welsh people have those impossibly long names. Now I don’t blame you for wanting to change it, but seriously, a title? Doctor who?

THE DOCTOR  
Whatever. I am very glad you appreciate my predicament. Now, while we are on the subject of names…

SAMANTHA  
Names? Right, then, Doctor Whatever. I’m Sam. Samantha, to all but my closest. How do you do?

THE DOCTOR  
Nice to meet you, Samantha-to-all-but-your-closest. Now, have you seen that blue box down there?

 

CUT TO:  
29 - EXT. TARDIS – DAY 

SAMANTHA  
Oh, yeah. That. It wasn’t there yesterday.

 

CUT TO:  
30 - CENTRAL PARK – DAY 

THE DOCTOR  
No, it wasn’t. So what do you think it is?

SAMANTHA  
I dunno. A movie prop, maybe? Probably television. I’m guessing television. Kinda cheap-looking, if you ask me.

THE DOCTOR  
I wasn’t asking.

SAMANTHA  
Definitely looks out of place.

THE DOCTOR  
And why would you say that?

SAMANTHA  
It says “police public call box”. Why would you need a call box when almost everyone today has a mobile phone? So it must be old, but it doesn’t look like anything you’d see in old photos of New York.

THE DOCTOR  
That’s because it’s British. But why do you think it’s here, in Central Park?

SAMANTHA  
Maybe it’s lost?

Samantha studies The Doctor for a reaction, but is disappointed.

SAMANTHA  
You really don’t do the bantering thing, do you?

The Doctor exhales, shakes his head in a slow burn. He takes a sip.

THE DOCTOR  
So, what do you think is inside the box?

SAMANTHA  
I don’t know about you, but I’m gonna go out on a limb and say… a phone. Yes, a phone.

Samantha snorks and starts to laugh.

SAMANTHA  
I’m sorry! (laughs harder) No, not sorry! (more laughing) You should see the look on your face!

THE DOCTOR  
Yeah, the look of regret! My question stands, and the phone is on the outside, if you must know.

SAMANTHA  
Okay. (composes herself) Ahem, I still think it’s a film or TV prop, and I’m betting you’re part of the crew, maybe a PA?

THE DOCTOR  
A what?

SAMANTHA  
A production assistant: basically, (speed-talking) an indentured servant of the film industry who dreams of making it big, but who will likely waste their life guarding dusty old props. And, quizzing people on nearby park benches about said props to relieve their terminal boredom. Am I warm?

THE DOCTOR  
You’re certainly getting there on the last part. (sighs) Okay. What if I told you that inside that box, you could travel anywhere, anytime? Any point in time and space that you could imagine. Would you go?

SAMANTHA  
Well… Oh, I get it now! It’s a mini library! Kids would love that sort of thing! So what kind of books do you have in there? Any science fiction books?

THE DOCTOR  
Well, there is a library in there, and it does have a lot of books. I wasn’t thinking of that room.

SAMANTHA  
That ‘room’? You’re telling me there’s more than one in there? 

THE DOCTOR  
Yes. Okay, look. Why don’t I go and open the door. Then you can see for yourself.

The Doctor gets up, walks towards the TARDIS. He looks back. Samantha is still at on the bench, arms crossed, pensive.

THE DOCTOR  
Well, come on! You’re telling me you’re not in the least bit curious?

Samantha looks around nervously, slowly gets up. She retrieves her coffee mug, walks towards the TARDIS.

SAMANTHA  
This had better not be a trap. Don’t forget that I’m armed, with sharpened steel.

 

CUT TO:  
31 - EXT. TARDIS – DAY 

THE DOCTOR  
How could I forget?

The Doctor unlocks the door, steps in. The interior lights up. The Doctor takes care to walk up to the time rotor, so Samantha (camera following) can still see him inside. She comes up to the door, hesitates. A couple more tentative steps.

THE DOCTOR  
You’ve come this far. Two more steps.

 

CUT TO:  
32 - INT. TARDIS – DAY 

Samantha (camera facing) creeps forward, amazed, as the doorway opens to the full expanse of the console room. She giggles.

THE DOCTOR  
I wasn’t expecting that.

SAMANTHA  
I’m impressed! I mean there’s some serious design clash weirdness here, masking some really clever trickery.

THE DOCTOR  
Trickery? There’s no trick.

SAMANTHA  
Oh, come on, Doctor Whatever, this is amazing! I mean, how’s it done? Is it a hologram?

She looks around, awestruck. (A quick 360° of the interior as Samantha looks around, then back to close-ups.)

SAMANTHA  
It’s gotta be! A hologrammatic projection, isn’t it? (another giggle) Wow, I really am impressed! You should charge admission.

THE DOCTOR  
It’s not a carousel, or a Ferris wheel. It can actually take you places. Anywhere you like. Anywhen you like.

SAMANTHA  
What? Time travel? Impossible! Think of all the paradoxes you’d cause.

THE DOCTOR  
That’s why you need to take care with the company you keep when traveling through time and space.

SAMANTHA  
But how? It’s just a box!

THE DOCTOR  
It’s called the TARDIS – short for “Time And Relative Dimension In Space”.

SAMANTHA  
A fancy acronym for holograms in a box.

THE DOCTOR  
(sighs) All right, then. I give up. If you would excuse me, Samantha-to-all-but-your-closest, I must be going.

SAMANTHA  
You’re leaving? In your, what did you call it? Tardis?

THE DOCTOR  
Yes, Samantha, in my TARDIS.

SAMANTHA  
Alright, then. Have it your way.

Samantha turns and steps towards the door. She stops at the door, opens the ‘call box’ phone panel and smiles.

SAMANTHA  
Does it work?

Samantha reaches for the receiver.

 

CUT TO:  
33 – EXT. TARDIS – DAY 

Samantha places a small object (close-up) on the inside of the receiver handle, beyond The Doctor’s line of sight.

 

CUT TO:  
34 - INT. TARDIS – DAY 

THE DOCTOR  
Yes, it does. Just like everything else in here.

SAMANTHA  
Wish I could believe that. (tinge of sorrow in her voice) I really want to believe that. (pause) You have a safe trip, then, Doctor.

THE DOCTOR  
Thank you, Samantha.

 

CUT TO:  
35 - EXT. TARDIS – DAY 

Samantha steps out of the TARDIS, has a look around. She runs her hand down the side of the TARDIS, smiling. 

 

CUT TO:  
36 - INT. TARDIS – DAY 

The Doctor stares at the time rotor, sighs. He puts his coffee beside his recliner, Melody Malone crime novel splayed over the armrest. He returns to the central console, releases the time rotor handbrake and the TARDIS vworps into action.

 

CUT TO:  
37 - CENTRAL PARK – DAY 

Samantha takes out her mobile phone, selects a speed dial number, and listens through two rings before there is an answer.

OSIRIS (phone)  
Hel-lo?

SAMANTHA  
Hey, Skipper! It me.

OSIRIS (phone)  
How did it go?

SAMANTHA  
Contact made, and tracker laid. And, we got along famously.

OSIRIS (phone)  
Sure you did.

SAMANTHA  
Well, methinks I convinced him I’d never seen a TARDIS before.

 

CUT TO:  
38 - INT. TESSIE – DAY 

SAMANTHA (phone)  
Important thing is we can follow him now.

OSIRIS  
So you’ve met him. Impression?

 

CUT TO:  
39 - CENTRAL PARK – DAY 

Samantha walks up to the tourist information booth that is really Osiris’ TARDIS, Tessie. 

SAMANTHA  
Well, his Scottish accent might explain his lack of a funny bone. I thought you

She opens the door.

 

CUT TO:  
40 - INT. TESSIE – DAY 

Samantha walks in, still on the phone. 

SAMANTHA (cont.)  
said he was lively, flailing his hands all about.

OSIRIS  
He used to, before he last regenerated.

Phones are taken from ears (quick pan shot between the two women) as they realize they’re carrying on a phone conversation in the same room!  
(Mostly two-shots as the women walk around the central console.)

OSIRIS  
Same with the accent. By his looks, I’d say he’s already regenerated into The Doctor that Clara later traveled with. 

SAMANTHA  
So how is it then a Time Lord can pick up a British – well, Scottish – accent?

OSIRIS  
Adjusting to one’s surroundings. Look at our TARDIS. Tessie here hops into Central Park and takes on the look of a tourist info. booth. That’s the chameleon circuit at work. Time Lords try to adapt to their surroundings, too. More or less.

SAMANTHA  
So you really do look like a Zygon after all, under those doe-y brown eyes?

OSIRIS  
Shut up!

SAMANTHA  
And The Doctor?

OSIRIS  
I dunno. I mean, look at me! Twelve years after we split at Trenzalore, and I still have Clara’s accent! People on Gallifrey think I’m from the North or something.

Samantha gives Osiris a wry smile.

OSIRIS  
Still shut up!

Clara (I mean Osiris) finally puts her phone away. Her mood turns serious.

OSIRIS  
So, back to the mission: where’d you put it?

SAMANTHA  
On the receiver handle, like you suggested.

OSIRIS  
Okay. Good. Did he see you do it?

SAMANTHA  
Don’t think so. The door was between us. (pause) You sure he’ll check it? The phone, I mean?

OSIRIS  
If he’s still The Doctor, as I knew him…

SAMANTHA  
Sans Scottish accent.

OSIRIS (ignoring her companion)  
…he’ll be wondering why you asked about it. He’ll be curious, maybe even suspicious. Of course he’ll check.

Osiris smiles, nods, thinking about The Doctor’s likely course of action.

OSIRIS  
Oh, yeah. He’ll check it, alright.

 

CUT TO:  
41 - INT. TARDIS – DAY 

The Doctor’s phone rings. He goes to answer it, but he hesitates, looks to the door. The Doctor opens the door and reaches for the receiver handle. Picking it up, he looks at the small device attached to the handle. For a moment, he forgets about the voice at the other end.

RIGSY (phone)  
Doctor? Hello, Doctor? (more distant) I don’t know. The line is open.

THE DOCTOR  
Sorry, yes. Hello, there.

RIGSY (phone)  
Oh, good, Doctor. You’re there.

THE DOCTOR  
Yes, I’m there. Rigsy, is it?

 

CUT TO:  
42 - INT. RIGSY’S FLAT – DAY 

RIGSY  
Yeah, it’s me.

THE DOCTOR (phone)  
You don’t sound like Me.

RIGSY  
Sorry, what?

 

CUT TO:  
43 - INT. TARDIS – DAY 

THE DOCTOR  
I was trying to… oh, never mind. You called, sir, about?

RIGSY (phone)  
The man from the caves. Have you seen or heard about him?

THE DOCTOR  
What man from the caves?

RIGSY (phone)  
It’s all over the Internet, the telly… everywhere!

THE DOCTOR  
What’s so special about this ‘man from the caves’?

RIGSY (phone)  
His head,

 

CUT TO:  
44 - INT. RIGSY’S FLAT – DAY 

Close-up (on Rigsy) widens out while he’s talking to include a television in the living room; then closes in on the figure onscreen.

RIGSY  
for starters! People are calling him ‘Octopus Head’, ‘cuz he’s got these small tentacles extending from the top of his head.

‘Octopus Head’: wide, ovular head with one yellow eye and a crown of six tentacles. (Observers can’t count!) Two legs and two arms, but the fingers are pointy. The skin is translucent, greyish, and OH wears platinum-grey overalls. 

 

CUT TO:  
45 - INT. TARDIS – DAY 

RIGSY (phone)  
And he only has one eye.

On The Doctor: concern.

THE DOCTOR  
Does he have an actual name, this ‘Octopus, Head’?

RIGSY (phone)  
Yeah. He calls himself Jenofonte Sec.

THE DOCTOR  
That surname, again?

RIGSY (phone)  
Sec.

THE DOCTOR (sotto voce)  
Cult of Skaro! But…

RIGSY (phone)  
What does it mean, Doctor?

THE DOCTOR  
It probably means trouble, Rigsy, big trouble!

The Doctor heads to the nav panel, dropping the outside phone.

RIGSY (phone)  
Doctor?

The Doctor hesitates, then runs to the inside phone and opens the speaker. A loud feedback squeal as he runs back to the outside phone, removing the tracking device as he hangs up the receiver. 

THE DOCTOR (yelling)  
Yes-yes-yes. Back to you. Where is this Jenofonte Sec? London?

 

CUT TO:  
46 - INT. RIGSY’S FLAT – DAY 

RIGSY  
No. Athens. They’ve discovered a whole city of caves, right under the Parthenon.

 

CUT TO:  
47 - INT. TARDIS – DAY 

The Doctor is examining the device he just found on the outside phone receiver.

THE DOCTOR  
Okay. Where are you, right now?

RIGSY (phone)  
Home. I’m at home.

THE DOCTOR  
Your flat, in London, right?

RIGSY (phone)  
Yeah.

THE DOCTOR  
Alright, then. I’ll need fresh eyes and ears for the trip to Athens, and I’m flying solo at the moment. You called about ‘Octopus Head’. So, right of first refusal:

 

CUT TO:  
48 - INT. RIGSY’S FLAT – DAY 

THE DOCTOR (phone)  
you in?

RIGSY  
Um…

THE DOCTOR (phone)  
It’s Greece, man! What is there to ‘um’ about?

RIGSY  
Uh, sure.

 

CUT TO:  
49 - INT. TARDIS – DAY 

As The Doctor sets the co-ordinates for London, and releases the time rotor handbrake, setting the TARDIS in motion.

RIGSY (phone)  
Why not?

THE DOCTOR  
That’s the spirit! I’ll be outside your building in a moment.

RIGSY (phone)  
Okay, then, Doctor. See you soon.

The Doctor closes the speakerphone and has a closer look at the tracking device. He reads aloud (close-up on back of device):

THE DOCTOR  
“Do not open. No user-serviceable parts inside. Opening back of device will void all warranties.”

He picks up his sonic and turns it on, pointing at the back of the device.

THE DOCTOR  
Do I look like I’m the kind of guy who cares about warranties? 

The device cracks open. The Doctor has a closer look inside.

THE DOCTOR  
Why did Samantha, if that’s her real name, leave you behind, eh? What’s your story?

A close-up (device) reveals dust or spider web-like fibrous material obscuring the circuit board. He blows on it, only to realize that was a mistake. He’s inhaled some of the fibres, and starts to choke and cough. He slowly falls to the floor, unconscious.

 

DISSOLVE TO:  
50 - INT. TESSIE – DAY 

Osiris and Samantha are sitting in comfy chairs (facing camera) by the central console. Feet up on a tacky, furry ottoman. Osiris is reading Samantha’s Astrophysics Journal, while Samantha is reading The Fangirl’s Guide to The Galaxy: A Handbook for Girl Geeks. A sensor on the central console starts to flash and beep loudly. The women look at each other.

OSIRIS / SAMANTHA  
Got him!

 

DISSOLVE TO:  
51 - INT. CAVE – NIGHT 

A slow tilt up from a pond of gently rippling water. The Doctor is sitting next to the pool in a wooden chair, his hands secured under the seat with furry handcuffs. He is slumped over, unconscious. Samantha walks up to him, blows in his ear. The Doctor startles awake, looks up at Samantha. He seems unsurprised. (Mostly two-shots, with over-the-shoulder solo shots.) 

SAMANTHA  
Hey!

THE DOCTOR  
Hey back. (pause) Funny seeing you here, Sam-to-all-but-your-closest, isn’t it? (looks around) By the way, where is ‘here’?

SAMANTHA  
It’s a cave.

THE DOCTOR  
Yes, I got that. I was thinking more along the lines of planet, continent, etc., but I’ll take local star system for a start.

SAMANTHA  
Hmm. Well, most people think of it simply as the solar system.

THE DOCTOR  
Okay, so we’re on Earth, then.

SAMANTHA  
In a manner of speaking, yes.

THE DOCTOR  
Are we or aren’t we?

SAMANTHA  
Well, that depends.

THE DOCTOR  
On what?

OSIRIS – O/C  
On whether you believe this to be a real cave. I mean, it could all be dream, right?

Osiris walks around from behind The Doctor: long black leather coat, dark-coloured dress underneath. TARDIS blue sneakers. A face he should remember, older, but from? Samantha hands her a chair, which Osiris turns around. She leans forward against the back to face The Doctor.

OSIRIS  
So, like the handcuffs?

THE DOCTOR  
Not particularly. Why do you suppose I would?

OSIRIS  
Well, from what I’ve heard, from a mutual friend, the fuzzy ones are your favourites.

THE DOCTOR  
A mutual friend?

OSIRIS  
Professor Song.

THE DOCTOR  
River!

OSIRIS  
The one. The only. The original River Song. She sends her love. Hence the

THE DOCTOR  
And who, then, might you be, that we have a mutual friend in Professor Song?

OSIRIS  
Oh, someone who taught her much, and who learned so very much from her.

THE DOCTOR  
That didn’t really answer my question.

OSIRIS  
Don’t intend to. You’re the one in ‘cuffs.

THE DOCTOR  
And why exactly is that?

OSIRIS  
To be sure you can’t escape before answering questions about another mutual friend: Clara Oswald.

The Doctor’s searching expression tells Osiris everything she is afraid of.

OSIRIS  
Oh, Dear God. What I heard then was true.

SAMANTHA  
Owe me a fiver, Oswin.

OSIRIS  
You really can’t remember her, can you?

THE DOCTOR  
Clara? Of course I remember Clara! My memory of her is just fine.

OSIRIS  
Okay, then: what advice did Clara give you on Gallifrey about The Moment?

THE DOCTOR  
The Moment?

OSIRIS  
Yes, Doctor, The Moment. (pause) The Time War? How you ended the Time War? Nothing massive, here: only the single biggest decision of your entire life!

THE DOCTOR  
Advice? Yeah, well… funny thing about advice…

OSIRIS  
Yes?

THE DOCTOR  
The thing about advice is… it’s kind of important to… (mutters) remember it.

OSIRIS  
Right.

He can tell she isn't impressed.

THE DOCTOR  
Okay. I get that you want me to remember Clara because you think it’s important.

OSIRIS  
Yes.

THE DOCTOR  
Why?

OSIRIS  
Because of what just happened! The Moment? That you don’t seem to remember what it’s for, why you planned to use it, or that Clara talked you out of using it.

The Doctor ponders on Osiris’ point for a moment.

THE DOCTOR  
Alright, then. Let’s suppose I want to know more about Clara – and yes it would be nice – and the importance of her talking me out of using the Moment, which I'm starting to remember something about. Why is this so important to you… Oswin, is it?

OSIRIS  
Osiris Oswin, yes.

THE DOCTOR  
Osiris? Egyptian god of the River Nile?

OSIRIS  
Has more to do with cycles of birth and death. My folks didn’t like ordinary names.

THE DOCTOR  
Fascinating.

OSIRIS  
The point is, Doctor, the kind of choice you nearly made with the Moment; the choice you thought for centuries you’d made, you could get wrong one day if you can’t remember how you got it right. And that mistake… could destroy you.

THE DOCTOR  
What kind of mistake?

OSIRIS  
Sacrifice our home planet, and everyone on it. (pause) She made you hesitate, and you found another way.

 

DISSOLVE TO:  
52 - GALLIFREY FLASHBACK – NIGHT 

Fx: Osiris talks over flashback to scenes from The Day Of The Doctor: the fall of Arcadia; 

OSIRIS – V/O  
As the Time War reached its bloody climax,

The Doctors flying their TARDIS’, encircling Gallifrey;

OSIRIS – V/O (cont.)  
you and your other selves created a stasis cube of sorts around Gallifrey,

and the explosion caused by the Daleks firing on each other, destroying them and, apparently, Gallifrey.

OSIRIS – V/O (cont.)  
and we were trapped there, in a planet-sized pocket universe, for a time.

 

DISSOLVE TO:  
53 - INT. CAVE – NIGHT 

OSIRIS (cont.)  
That is, until we figured a way out. 

THE DOCTOR  
Which was?

OSIRIS  
Which was… to implode a TARDIS on that pocket universe’s edge, thus creating an artificial black hole, which we then drained of some of its energy to break Gallifrey free of our pocket universe trap.

Osiris swallows hard. On her face: regret.

THE DOCTOR  
Clever idea, Osiris Oswin, but the look on your face tells me you now regret that clever idea. What happened?

OSIRIS  
Souls. To sustain itself, this particular black hole now derives its energy from the souls of advanced sentient beings. (speed-talking) Thoughts, feelings, memories; the more advanced the being, the more energy to draw upon. The Time Lords harnessed that energy to return Gallifrey to this universe, at a point in space-time where, so we hope, the Daleks won’t come looking for it.

THE DOCTOR  
And they all lived happily ever after. (pause) Except they didn’t, did they? The Time Lords, I bet, couldn’t stop. I bet they couldn’t let go of that special energy once they learned how to harness it.

OSIRIS  
No.

THE DOCTOR  
Why is this so important to you?

OSIRIS  
(sighs) Because… I was part of the team that created the black hole. My initial idea.

THE DOCTOR  
And?

OSIRIS  
And, I regret its misuse. I intended for it to be unstable; a temporary phenomenon that would shortly collapse, releasing what it had captured.

THE DOCTOR  
The souls.

OSIRIS  
Yes, but that hasn’t happened.

THE DOCTOR  
So there is this Time Lord-created black hole. Souls are drawn into it. And there they remain - “trapped like flies. Stuck forever,” in a living Hell,

SAMANTHA  
Isn’t that basically Snapchat?

OSIRIS  
More like Twitter.

THE DOCTOR (ignoring the others)  
“crying out for help” – 

OSIRIS  
Feel like I had this conversation before.

THE DOCTOR (still ignoring the others)  
– but no one hears them, because the black hole’s gravitational field is too strong for anything to get out, including human thought.

OSIRIS  
Well, that’s what I thought. Here:

Osiris puts her mobile phone on The Doctor’s knee.  
Close-up (phone) as she touches the screen, then back to Doctor/Osiris close-ups as we hear the following:

CLARA (phone)  
Doctor, help me please! I don’t know where I am! (pause) I’m… trapped, somewhere, and I-I can’t find my way out. I’ve never felt so lost…

OSIRIS  
At first, I thought this was an echo from when Clara was trapped in the wi-fi by the Great Intelligence, but…

Close-up (phone) as Osiris un-pauses the message.

CLARA (phone)  
…so many of us, lost in here. (pause) None of this is right. There was so much light before. So much light, but now it’s gone. It doesn’t feel right at all. Doctor, please, if you can hear this, find Me. Find the raven.

(And back to Doctor/Osiris close-ups.)

OSIRIS  
Bingo!

CLARA (phone)  
They know, they must know where I am. Wherever it is we are. Help us, Doctor, help us, please!

OSIRIS  
And there you have it.

The Doctor looks troubled by the transmission.

THE DOCTOR  
Your voices sound very similar.

OSIRIS  
Yeah. Long story ‘bout that. Something to talk about over a long coffee, perhaps? 

THE DOCTOR  
The raven: what does she mean by that?

OSIRIS  
In this case, a quantum shade, taking a raven’s form. It killed Clara, on a hidden street in London. It was enslaved to Lady Me – that is, Ashildor – and it took Clara’s soul energy somewhere.

THE DOCTOR  
To the black hole, you guess. But how do you know?

OSIRIS  
Sammy and I tracked the signal back to its source, and wouldn’t you know it? A burst of Hawking radiation coming from the very same black hole the Time Lords used to move Gallifrey.

THE DOCTOR  
That signal being a record of what fell into that black hole.

SAMANTHA  
Precisely.

THE DOCTOR  
So what do you propose, then? We stage a massive prison break of sorts?

OSIRIS  
Basically.

THE DOCTOR  
So we shut it down, this black hole, and free the souls trapped inside.

SAMANTHA  
You got it!

THE DOCTOR  
And you want my help in this, then?

OSIRIS  
More like ‘need your help’.

THE DOCTOR  
Because?

OSIRIS  
Because, teamwork. Two Time Lords and a crazy physicist working together.

SAMANTHA  
Ringing endorsement, there, Skipper.

OSIRIS  
Welcome, Sammy.

THE DOCTOR  
I’ll think about it.

OSIRIS  
Great! That’s all we needed to hear.

Osiris gets up, grabs her phone and photo, motions to Samantha.

THE DOCTOR  
It is?

OSIRIS  
You’re thinking about helping us. So yeah, our work here is done. Sammy?

The Doctor turns to see Samantha rest a boot against the seat of his chair. She’s smiles mischievously. 

SAMANTHA  
Time to wake up!

The Doctor remembers the pool of water next to him (close-up on pool), tries to gauge the depth.

THE DOCTOR  
Wake up? I hardly ever sleep!

OSIRIS  
Tell me about it! You have any idea how hard it was to knock you out?

THE DOCTOR  
This is a dream?

OSIRIS  
More like a nightmare, actually, since you’re about to drown.

The Doctor starts to wrestle with his very realistic restraints.

THE DOCTOR  
Handcuffs?!

OSIRIS  
Yes, I know. How long can you hold your breath, Doctor? Shall we find out?

THE DOCTOR  
No! Osiris, I’ll help. I promise!

Samantha kicks the chair over, and The Doctor falls into the water to a chorus of muffled laughter.

 

CUT TO:  
54 – INT. CAVE (DOCTOR’S POV) – NIGHT 

Fx: from The Doctor’s POV: chair tips over, hits the water and slowly sinks to The Doctor’s muffled cries.

 

CUT TO:  
55 - INT. TARDIS – DAY 

The Doctor lurches awake, seated in his recliner, to the sound of laughter close by. He turns to see an old acquaintance sitting on the console room floor, drawings of the TARDIS interior surrounding him.

RIGSY  
And good afternoon to you, Doctor!

THE DOCTOR  
Good afternoon… Rigsy! How’s the New Human?

RIGSY  
Lucy? She’s great, Doctor. She’s ten, now. You should visit. 

THE DOCTOR  
Ten? Of course! She’d have grown. I should remember that; humans do that. Too bad, really.

RIGSY  
Well, gee, thanks, Doctor.

THE DOCTOR  
I didn’t mean that in a bad way.

RIGSY  
No, of course you didn’t.

The Doctor gets up, slowly descends the stairs to the console room floor, looking at Rigsy’s drawings on the way. Then he checks the nav panel while talking to Rigsy.

THE DOCTOR  
It’s just that humans generally lose all their potential when they grow up. There are rare exceptions, of course. Speaking of: how is Christopher Riggins?

RIGSY (laughs)  
Nice recovery, there, Doctor. I’m fine.

THE DOCTOR  
Right then. So what were you laughing at when I awoke?

RIGSY  
“Handcuffs?”

THE DOCTOR  
Okay, forget I ever asked that question. So, where do you wanna go, then? What do you wanna see?

RIGSY  
I thought…

THE DOCTOR  
Oh, never mind about the caves. They can wait.

The Doctor starts to set time-space co-ordinates. Rigsy gets up, collects his drawings.

RIGSY  
From the tone of your voice, on the phone, it sounded serious. Even world-threatening, isn’t it?

THE DOCTOR  
Well…

RIGSY  
That’s why you need me. Flying solo, right?

THE DOCTOR  
Well, yes, but this is your first trip in the TARDIS! Or, did I forget that, too?

RIGSY  
Not my first trip. But Doctor, we really should look into this Jenofonte Sec. I did some research, and ‘Sec’ has something to do with the Daleks, doesn’t it?

The Doctor sighs. He’s right.

THE DOCTOR  
Yes, it does.

RIGSY  
Well, then. Let’s go!

THE DOCTOR  
Where?

RIGSY  
To Greece, of course! That’s better than trips around London and Bristol, isn’t it?

THE DOCTOR  
Greece without a passport? Why not? Right then, Rigsy. Parthenon, here we come!

The Doctor releases the time rotor handbrake and they’re off.

 

CUT TO:  
56 - EXT. LONDON BLOCK OF FLATS – DAY 

Fx: the TARDIS dematerializes from in front of Rigsy’s Building. A soldierly-looking man in a wool jacket and dark shades (obviously government; UNIT, maybe?) opens his lapel and speaks into a radio handset.

SHADES GUY  
Norwegian Blue on its way, Ma’am.

KATE STEWART (over radio)  
Copy that.

 

CUT TO:  
57 - EXT: PARTHENON – DAY 

Fx: a wide shot of the Parthenon, then close-up as the TARDIS materializes next to a column with two groups of soldiers downslope in the foreground. Kate Stewart, standing among them, breaks a conversation and walks toward the TARDIS.

KATE  
Doctor, so glad to see you.

THE DOCTOR  
Kate Stewart, why am I not surprised to find you here? Have you met Christopher Riggins?

KATE  
Mr. Riggins. How is your daughter?

RIGSY  
Doing fine, ma’am.

Rigsy turns to The Doctor. He answers his unspoken question.

THE DOCTOR  
Kate Stewart is Chief Scientific Officer of the Unified Intelligence Task Force. Gathering information on aliens and their friends is in the job description.

RIGSY  
Even the friendly ones?

KATE  
Yes, even The Doctor’s associates.

THE DOCTOR  
Speaking of associates, Kate: where is your bespectacled understudy with the inhaler?

KATE  
Osgood?

THE DOCTOR  
Yes.

KATE  
Zygon flu. Symptoms sound downright nasty.

THE DOCTOR  
Really? I didn’t know… wait. Zygon flu? Does that mean?

KATE  
I have no idea. Sorry.

THE DOCTOR  
Oh, okay, then. So what do you know our friend in the caves, this Jenofonte Sec? What he’s all about, and what he wants? It is a he?

KATE  
I think so. He has said to the media, in Greek, and in English, that he wants to speak with the World President, and that he knows who that is.

THE DOCTOR  
Hence you were waiting for us.

KATE  
Yes.

RIGSY  
Wait. Last time I checked, there was no such thing as ‘world president’. I just thought this tentacle-headed guy was asking “take me to your leader”.

KATE / THE DOCTOR  
He is.

Kate points to The Doctor. Rigsy looks… surprised? Frightened? Indignant?

RIGSY  
Wait, Doctor

THE DOCTOR  
Yes, but only in times of crisis. At least I hope so. I’m not around much, otherwise.

KATE  
Only in a crisis. And I’m not sure yet if this qualifies as one. We don’t seem to be under attack. Two dead Greek soldiers notwithstanding.

THE DOCTOR  
No, Kate, but the part that worries me is his surname. Sec. Does that set off any alarm bells at UNIT? What am I saying? Of course it does! That’s why you’re here.

KATE  
Cult of Skaro.

THE DOCTOR (to Rigsy)  
Home planet of the Daleks.

RIGSY  
But this Jenofonte Sec doesn’t even look like a Dalek.

THE DOCTOR  
No, and he shouldn’t even exist, but here he is.

KATE  
We have so little information on the Cult of Skaro that we thought it was a legend. Something dreamt up by conspiracy theorists.

THE DOCTOR  
Not so lucky, Kate. Davros and some Dalek survivors of the Time War formed the Cult of Skaro to devise ways for the Dalek race to outwit the Time Lords. They looked at genetic splicing, and a truly radicle idea, developed by one Dalek Sec, was to integrate Dalek DNA with human DNA, and thus create a hybrid super-race.

KATE  
What happened?

Their conversation is interrupted by an unfamiliar voice over a loudspeaker.

JENOFONTE SEC (loudspeakers)  
In human business terminology, Ms. Stewart, it would be called a ‘hostile takeover’. 

 

CUT TO:  
58 – EXT. CAVE ENTRY – DAY 

Close-up: an opening through solid rock, blown out from the inside. Scorch marks suggest a laser. A speaker rests atop a tripod next to the opening. Two soldiers – one Greek, one UNIT – awkwardly stand guard next to the hole and each other.

JENOFONTE SEC (loudspeakers)  
I must thank the Greek authorities for supplying the public address system. So kind of them, after our earlier misunderstanding. Now, do I not hear the voice of the World President, also known as the Predator of the Daleks?

 

CUT TO:  
59 – EXT. PARTHENON – DAY 

THE DOCTOR  
That would be me. Are you Jenofonte Sec, then?

JENOFONTE SEC (loudspeakers)  
The international media I understand, Lord President,

 

CUT TO:  
60 – EXT. CAVE ENTRY – DAY 

JENOFONTE SEC (cont. loudspeakers)  
call me ‘Octopus Head’. Octopi are very intelligent creatures, are they not?

 

CUT TO:  
61 – EXT. PARTHENON – DAY 

THE DOCTOR  
Yes, they are. Humans could learn quite a lot from them. Pardon me, Jenofonte Sec, if I refrain from such any such flattery. I understand you wanted to speak with me?

JENOFONTE SEC (loudspeakers)  
Yes, and alone in this cave shall we speak.

THE DOCTOR  
I’d prefer that we do so in the light of day, in front of the others gathered here. They should be aware of what we are discussing.

KATE  
I quite agree, Doctor. For your safety.

JENOFONTE SEC (loudspeakers)  
Ah, but you both assume that I offer a choice. If you would have a look around, you may notice that The Doctor’s friend is conspicuous in his absence.

It’s only then they all notice that Rigsy is missing.

KATE  
Where’d he go?

THE DOCTOR  
What have you done with him?!

JENOFONTE SEC (loudspeakers)  
I merely had Mr. Riggins teleported to inside 

 

CUT TO:  
62 – EXT. CAVE ENTRY – DAY 

JENOFONTE SEC (loudspeakers)  
the cave. I believe you call someone in his current predicament a ‘bargaining chip’?

 

CUT TO:  
63 – EXT. PARTHENON – DAY 

THE DOCTOR  
Your teleporting skills impress me, Jenofonte, but you will not harm him!

JENOFONTE SEC (loudspeakers)  
I have no intention of harming Mr. Riggins, provided our discussions are successful. You, Doctor, may enter our home of your own accord. The entry is about one 

JENOFONTE SEC (cont. loudspeakers)  
hundred metres to your right.

The Doctor and Kate both start for the cave entry.

JENOFONTE SEC (loudspeakers)  
That is as far as you go, Ms. Stewart.

KATE  
Why?

THE DOCTOR  
Kate, let me do this.

JENOFONTE SEC (loudspeakers)  
Yes, human, let The Doctor do this. I do not need a reason to keep you out. But, if you insist on one, here it is: I don’t like you. Considering The Doctor is the ages-long arch enemy of our race, that should make you rather proud!

KATE  
The nerve of him!

The Doctor cautions Kate with a hand gesture, continues toward the cave entry. 

KATE  
Be careful, Doctor.

JENOFONTE SEC (loudspeakers)  
And my earlier promise stands.

THE DOCTOR  
And what promise was that? I just arrived.

JENOFONTE SEC (loudspeakers)  
That any further attempt by human military personnel to enter the cave will be met with their deaths, plus the sterilization of the entire male half of said race. Yes, Doctor, we have that capability. 

 

CUT TO:  
64 – INT. CAVE – DAY 

The Doctor walks into the cave, which is poorly lit. No immediate signs of life.

THE DOCTOR  
Hello?

The Doctor pulls his sonic screwdriver out and scans the way ahead as he probes deeper into the cave. His pace slows. Something ahead. An obstruction? He stops, puts the sonic away. Symbols on the cave wall in front of him glow in the dark; symbols he’s seen many times before, but mostly on Skaro. The ancient language of the Daleks’ ancestors, the Kaleds.  
Fx: shot widens out to show a body of water in front of The Doctor. Two dead soldiers in Greek uniform by the water’s edge. The Doctor looks around, as if for another way forward. He takes the sonic out again and scans the water. 

THE DOCTOR  
Well the water isn’t booby-trapped. I suppose, Jenofonte – if you can hear me – I’ll have to swim the rest of the way. That sound about right?

Hearing no reply, The Doctor sighs, carefully wades into the water.

 

CUT TO:  
65 – INT. CAVE (UNDERWATER) – DAY 

The Doctor swims through greenish, glowing water. Several points of flickering light ahead.

 

CUT TO:  
66 – INT. CAVE – DAY 

The Doctor emerges from the water, shakes himself off. The inner cave looks to imitate nature, with meticulously scalloped walls and ceiling. The waterside is illuminated with flaming torches. A tall figure matching “Octopus Head’s” description stands close to the water’s edge, flanked by seven others. Humanoid-looking, save for the hairless, tentacled heads and the one eye. The Doctor has seen them before. But those creatures were living under New York City. He looks about nervously.

THE DOCTOR  
Where is he?

RIGSY  
Doctor!

A loud tapping from nearby.

RIGSY  
Doctor! Over here!

One of the creatures points towards a narrow passageway. Rigsy knocks on what must be glass. Jenofonte Sec motions for him to stop. The Doctor does the same. Intercut close-ups of The Doctor with Sec-Dalek group shots. 

JENOFONTE SEC  
I might just kill him out of spite if he keeps that up. Yes, Mr. Riggins, it is indeed made of glass! Diamond, actually. (pause) Welcome, Doctor. I am Jenofonte, and we are the Children of Sec.

THE DOCTOR  
Thank you, Jenofonte. Pardon my curiosity, but why exactly would you want to talk with the Predator of the Daleks?

JENOFONTE SEC  
Trust me, Doctor, I’d prefer not to, but you see, circumstance demands it.

THE DOCTOR  
How so?

JENOFONTE SEC  
Recent interactions with humans on, and Zygons below, the surface, make it impossible for us to function comfortably here. Therefore, we desire to leave for a compatible planet some distance across the galaxy. We were headed there until problems with our ship forced us to choose the Earth as an alternate.

THE DOCTOR  
For how long have you been here?

JENOFONTE SEC  
Sixty-two Earth years. We’d hoped to repair our ship to continue our journey, but damage to the hull was too great. We therefore seek human technical assistance.

THE DOCTOR  
And what sort of human technical assistance are you in need of?

JENOFONTE SEC  
We need only the shell of an Orion Mars spacecraft. We have the star drive necessary to get us to our new home. 

THE DOCTOR  
And Mr. Riggins?

JENOFONTE SEC  
Rendezvous co-ordinates will be provided when we have boarded the Orion ship and installed the star drive. Mr. Riggins will be released to you when we’ve reached our new home planet. In fact, Doctor, I will present you there with an additional item, one that should prove to be of great interest to you.

THE DOCTOR  
And what would that be?

JENOFONTE SEC  
An object found, relating to a fellow traveler in time.

The Doctor ponders on the “relating to a fellow traveler in time” part.

THE DOCTOR  
I’ll admit I’m intrigued. Meanwhile, those NASA people won’t exactly be enthused about surrendering one of their Mars craft for an interstellar move.

JENOFONTE SEC  
Not my problem, Mr. President. You have twenty-four hours to secure the Orion spacecraft, or we will begin to sterilize the human race, starting with the males in Europe. I wish you well in your negotiations. 

THE DOCTOR  
Rigsy, I’ll meet you at the rendezvous point. Be a good guest, and pay careful attention to what they ask of or say to you. Your safety, and that of many others, may very well depend on it. Understand?

The Doctor gives Rigsy a nod and a thumbs-up. Rigsy responds in kind.

RIGSY  
Understand, Doctor.

THE DOCTOR  
Jenofonte, the length of your stay here while in possession of a star drive intrigues me greatly. We must discuss this matter in more detail next time we meet.

JENOFONTE SEC  
Perhaps we will, Doctor.

The Doctor wades back into the water as Jenofonte Sec gives instructions to the others, with Rigsy listening in.

JENOFONTE SEC  
Boaz, Shura, commence preparations for teleporting the colony.

BOAZ / SHURA  
I obey.

JENOFONTE SEC  
Anat. Ensure that the star drive tests are completed as specified. We cannot afford 

JENOFONTE SEC (cont.)  
delays. The Skaro delegation will be waiting.

ANAT  
I obey.

Zoom in as Rigsy mouths “Skaro delegation?”

 

CUT TO:  
67 – EXT. PARTHENON – DAY 

The Doctor shakes himself off again as he approaches Kate Stewart and the UNIT and Greek soldiers. (Mostly two-shots).

THE DOCTOR  
Did you catch any of the conversation?

KATE  
Yes, up to the part about negotiations.

THE DOCTOR  
I guess that’s all they wanted you to hear. So?

KATE  
Just got off the phone with NASA. They say they can have one of their orbiting Orion craft ready in about eighteen hours, although they question the ability of the craft to reach across the galaxy, even with a star drive.

THE DOCTOR  
That’s a problem for Jenofonte. My main concern is for the Earth and Rigsy’s safety.

KATE  
Of course. How many others did you see?

THE DOCTOR  
Daleks? Seven, but let’s assume there are more hiding deeper in the caves. (pause) By the way, Kate, how exactly did you secure an Orion craft so quickly? You’re not planning anything, are you?

KATE  
Don’t have to. (chuckles) You’d be surprised how quickly the wheels of bureaucracy turn when the virility of men in power is threatened.

THE DOCTOR  
I’ll try to remember that.

KATE  
What’s next then, Doctor?

THE DOCTOR  
Ensuring these hybrid Daleks leave here peacefully, and then I’ll meet up with them to retrieve Rigsy.

KATE  
But can they be trusted?

THE DOCTOR  
I dunno. But a similar number of ordinary Daleks would’ve already laid waste to all of Athens. These guys just want to leave, but why? Makes you wonder if they know something we don’t.

KATE  
Like a greater threat than the Daleks? That wouldn’t seem possible.

THE DOCTOR  
No, Kate, and that’s what bothers me. Check with Osgood and/or Zygella to see if there are any signs of trouble within the Zygon community.

KATE  
Already onto it, Doctor. I should know soon. (pause) What about the Cybermen? They and the Daleks went toe-to-toe here not long ago. Without your intervention, it would’ve been stalemate.

THE DOCTOR  
And a bloody stalemate at that, with humans making up all the collateral damage. Possible, but then why not fight here again? Maybe there’s a new kid in town, posing a bigger threat. Or, maybe…

KATE  
Or maybe?

THE DOCTOR  
Or maybe they really are just bored silly living amongst humans.

The Doctor shrugs and heads to the door of the TARDIS.

KATE  
That’s okay, so long as you aren’t. (pause) Come to think of it, Doctor, you just admitted you’re not around that much. Does that mean?

He gets in and Kate follows. 

 

CUT TO:  
68 – INT. TARDIS – DAY 

THE DOCTOR (cont.)  
Don’t ask, Kate, unless you want a grand illusion shattered. 

Kate stops suddenly. A sigh of astonishment. Dumbfounded would be an accurate descriptor of Kate’s expression.  
Fx: a 360° visual of the dome as she looks up and around, then to close-ups.

KATE  
Um… I remember Dad saying it, but… it really only sinks when you… step inside.

THE DOCTOR  
The “bigger on the inside” bit? Yes. Is this your first time in here?

KATE (sotto voce)  
Yes.

THE DOCTOR  
Coming with me then?

KATE  
To where?

THE DOCTOR  
Houston. NASA people are there. It’s their spaceship, after all. 

KATE  
Um, thanks, Doctor, but no, not this time. I-I’ll meet you there.

THE DOCTOR  
Suit yourself, then. I was just going to make a short hop to New York in the meantime, anyway. See some old friends. I was heading there when today’s events interrupted.

KATE  
Old friends, in New York?

THE DOCTOR  
It’s a time machine, Kate. I can do that.

KATE  
Right. Of course. I’ll just… see myself out, then.

THE DOCTOR  
See you in Houston, then. 

KATE  
Of that I have no doubt.

 

CUT TO:  
69 – EXT. PARTHENON – DAY 

Kate steps out, turns around as  
Fx: the TARDIS dematerializes. Dumbfoundment replaced by… disappointment? She turns to a uniformed staffer.

KATE  
Let’s get to the airport. I should be with the NASA people and The Doctor as soon…

Kate is interrupted as  
Fx: the TARDIS rematerializes. Did he forget something? The Doctor pops his head out the door. 

THE DOCTOR  
Miss me, Kate?

KATE  
Now you’re just showing off, aren’t you?

THE DOCTOR  
Is it working?

Kate smiles like the teenager who won her high school science fair,

KATE  
Yes!

THE DOCTOR  
Well, c’mon, then!

as she gleefully hops back in!

KATE - O/C  
Forget the damned plane!

Fx: the TARDIS dematerializes again as Greek and UNIT officials look at each other, confused.

 

CUT TO:  
70 – INT. TARDIS – DAY 

Kate looks up in awe as the Time Rotor spins above her. The camera slowly closes in on The Doctor as he watches her. The look on Kate’s face reminds him of someone, but?

 

DISSOLVE TO:  
71 – TARDIS FLASHBACK – DAY 

Fx: over Kate’s face: a flash of Clara’s face, from The Woman Who Lived, and The Doctor’s reaction,

 

DISSOLVE TO:  
72 – INT. TARDIS – DAY 

and back to Kate. Not long enough to secure the memory. The look on his face: frustration? Despair? He turns away.

 

DISSOLVE TO:  
CAPTION: TO BE CONTINUED…

 

DISSOLVE TO:  
CLOSING TITLES


	2. Script 9B2: 'Til Darkness Bleeds Daylight

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Previously: The Doctor, still suffering memory gaps regarding his former companion, Clara Oswald, meets two women, Osiris and Samantha, who challenge his memory and solicit his help regarding a certain black hole. Meanwhile, former TARDIS traveler Rigsy tells him of a mysterious group of cave-city dwellers in Athens, who seem connected to the Cult of Skaro. Investigating, they encounter UNIT's Kate Stewart and Jenofonte Sec, leader of the cave-city dwellers, who takes Rigsy hostage in exchange for a NASA spacecraft.
> 
> In 'Til Darkness Bleeds Daylight, The Doctor rescues Rigsy and they travel to an ancient tree-city planet, Taraxolotus, where there is said to be a secret gateway to other universes - a secret others will kill for, and have. They once again encounter Osiris and Samantha, and together they work to break open a tiny black hole with a secret of its own. Osiris reveals still more secrets that connect The Doctor to her and the companion he barely remembers.

DOCTOR WHO  
FANFICTION STORY

“’Til Darkness Bleeds Daylight”  
by  
Scott Van Denham

12/08/2016

© Scott Van Denham 2016

 

01 - DEEP SPACE STAR FIELD - DAY

Fx: fade up to a slow pan over a rich star field enveloped with gas clouds of various colour and density. Pan to a very bright star rising over the horizon of a desert planet. A second star rises over the same planet as:

THE DOCTOR – V/O  
When you have lived as many lives as I have, and done all that I have done, you often wonder about the choices you have made. Moments that decided the fate of many. Was there, perhaps, another way? Did I really explore all the options? I try not to think about them too much, because to do so would drive you mad.

Fx: a rapid down-shot through the clouds.

THE DOCTOR – V/O  
Anyone would go mad, even a Time Lord.

 

DISSOLVE TO:  
02 - GALLIFREY - THE CITADEL - DAY

Fx: a descending shot between the towers of Gallifrey’s capital city, slowing to just above street level. There, someone – a teacher, perhaps – is showing a group of children the shell of a Dalek warrior.

THE DOCTOR – V/O  
And yet you do think about them, because that’s what you do when you care.

Behind the children and the Dalek, on a wall: NO MORE.

THE DOCTOR – V/O  
Only monsters sleep easily. Only monsters walk away at ease. They do not care who lives or dies. Pieces on a chessboard, they say. Winning the game is all they care about.

Fx: a rapid up-shot back through the clouds to

 

DISSOLVE TO:  
03 - DEEP SPACE STAR FIELD - NIGHT

Another star, but this time: larger, dimmer. An immense red giant. From behind that star, a volcanic planet whizzes right-to-left, almost out of shot, before passing the camera so close its southern hemisphere floods the screen. As the planet recedes, a small greyish satellite is visible for a moment. Both continue their journey round the red giant.

THE DOCTOR – V/O  
It is the mistakes you think about most. Your mistakes never really leave you.

Fx: another rapid down-shot, to

 

DISSOLVE TO:  
04 - TARAXOLOTUS - TWILIGHT

In the dim grey light of morning, immensely tall trees stand in what appears to be an orchard. Trunks and branches are boney-white and symmetrical. Star-shaped leaves, all perfect. Every tree looks as if trimmed by a giant bonsai artist. As the camera creeps in, we get the impression these are not just trees. There is movement, on the ground far below. Creatures – bipeds, apparently – are going about their lives. These ‘trees’ are really gigantic cities in the sky.

Fx: camera rapidly zooms in to a group of luminous white bipeds with small dark eyes, tentacled crowns, pointy fingers and toes. They, too, are examining the carcass of a Dalek warrior. Whereas the children of the Time Lords observed the Dalek remains with visible fear; these do so with curiosity, even compassion. Why?

THE DOCTOR – V/O  
The ones where you thought you’d done the best you could, or at least you convinced yourself at the time you did.

The image suddenly changes. Another time: the creatures look greyer, their eyes a pale yellow, dead. Small blue eyestalks are visible. They are repairing a battle-damaged Dalek.

THE DOCTOR – V/O  
These are the choices that can come back to haunt you,

Zooming out, the landscape is one of devastation: most tree cities are knocked over, smouldering or still ablaze. The tell-tale signs of a Dalek invasion.

THE DOCTOR – V/O  
drive you into madness.

 

DISSOLVE TO:  
05 - TARAXOLOTUS ORBIT - NIGHT

Fx: far above the surface, a cross of brilliant light appears. From its centre, Orion IV comes into view, rapidly slowing down as it moves into orbit.

 

CUT TO:  
06 - INT. ORION IV - NIGHT

In the Orion spacecraft’s converted mess hall, A gathering of Sec Daleks surrounds their leader, Jenofonte.

JENOFONTE SEC  
Children of the great visionary, Dalek Sec, we are at a crossroads. In our home universe, conquest has been triumphant and complete. In this savage wilderness, it is but beginning. To be successful, we must first weaken the two forces best positioned to challenge us. We know them well. We know their common weakness – fear. We must now exploit that weakness. If we succeed, humans and Skaro Daleks alike shall be assimilated. Let the human among us bear witness. This day, above this ancient planet, the conquest of this universe will begin!

Jenofonte raises both arms a fascist-style salute.

JENOFONTE SEC  
We are Sec!

SEC DALEKS  
We are Sec!

JENOFONTE SEC  
And we will assimilate!

SEC DALEKS  
We will assimilate!

JENOFONTE AND SEC DALEKS  
Assimilate! Assimilate! Assimilate! Assimilate! Assimilate! Assimilate!

Camera pans to the right, slow zooms to reveal Rigsy standing in a glass tube. Hands pressed against the glass, worried.

RIGSY  
Okay, Doctor. I hope you’ve got a plan for this!

 

CUT TO:  
OPENING TITLES

 

CUT TO:  
07 - EXT. NASA HEADQUARTERS - DAY

Fx: the TARDIS rematerializes at NASA Headquarters in Houston.

KATE – O/C  
We’ve landed, then.

 

CUT TO:  
08 – INT. TARDIS – DAY

The Doctor watches as Kate Stewart looks down from the time rotor. She looks like the kid who wants to get back on the rollercoaster.

THE DOCTOR  
Yes. Eighteen hours later, at NASA Headquarters.

KATE  
Eighteen hours later?

THE DOCTOR  
Of course. it’s…

KATE  
“It’s a time machine, Kate” yes, I know. (pause) I know.

THE DOCTOR  
Well, then. Let’s go meet our American friends.

 

CUT TO:  
09 - EXT. TARDIS - DAY

The Doctor and Kate exit the TARDIS and approach the entry to NASA Headquarters. Three officials, two men and a woman, step out into the mid-day heat to meet them just outside the front door. The Doctor recognizes the woman, who is wearing an all-black suit. The man in the middle steps forward and makes the introductions.

DIRECTOR MARSHALL  
Ms. Stewart, I presume, and Doctor, I’m Deputy Director Stephen Marshall, International Operations at NASA. May I present Deputy Director Jonathan Sym, head of our Orion program, and Professor Samantha Kane of Columbia University, Associate Director of the SETI program.

THE DOCTOR  
Directors, and Professor Kane. Have you heard from this Jenofonte Sec, or any of his followers?

DIRECTOR SYM  
Yes, to the extent that they have only moments ago seized the Orion IV. But, without transport like your TARDIS, Doctor, I don’t see how they got there so quickly.

THE DOCTOR  
They have a teleporter. You know, like in Star Trek? I’m sure they already had the co-ordinates for the Orion craft.

Sym’s phone rings and he steps back.

DIRECTOR SYM  
It’s Mission Control. Excuse me. (turns away) Hello?

DIRECTOR MARSHALL  
Doctor, Ms. Stewart: it would appear we have broken some international cooperation protocols regarding your actions as World President.

KATE  
Let me guess: the Chinese and Russians?

THE DOCTOR  
Cold war politics, all over again.

KATE  
Let me handle this, Doctor. This is what Dad trained me for.

THE DOCTOR  
You go, Kate!

Samantha comes closer as Kate walks away with Director Marshall.

SAMANTHA  
Doctor, I have heard that you’re familiar with Daleks. Why do you suppose these ones are behaving so differently from the others we have encountered?

THE DOCTOR  
Professor Kane, is it?

SAMANTHA  
Yes.

THE DOCTOR  
Well, Professor, these particular Daleks are likely descendants of others I met many years ago. Those Daleks experimented with genetic splicing of warrior-type races, including humans. I thought they had abandoned the work, after what Jenofonte Sec so aptly described in Athens as a hostile takeover by puritan Daleks. Daleks, after all, are the “superior beings”. Sound familiar?

SAMANTHA  
(sighs) Nazis… ethnic cleansing…"America First" in the twenty-'teens.

THE DOCTOR  
Quite right. (pause) As for their behaviour, I don’t think these Daleks are really that different. I just don’t think they’ve shown us all their cards yet. (pause) Changing subject somewhat, Professor: have we possibly met somewhere before?

SAMANTHA  
I don’t think so. (pause) And that, by the way, is the most unoriginal pickup line ever. But, considering your age…

THE DOCTOR  
It wasn’t a… Wait. “at my age”? And I’m sure of it now. We have met, but where?

SAMANTHA  
If you say so, Doctor. Anyway, I must be going. It’s a pleasure to finally put a face to the name.

Samantha smiles, puts out her hand to shake.

SAMANTHA  
Or, is it a title?

THE DOCTOR  
Before you go, Professor: Marshall said you’re with SETI. Still looking for aliens?

SAMANTHA  
Not looking,

She slides a pair of aviator shades over her eyes and smiles. Meet “S” from MIB.

SAMANTHA  
found.

THE DOCTOR  
Ah, you mean… ? (points to himself)

SAMANTHA  
Sorry, Doctor, but I have my own extraterrestrial connections. After all, you aren’t the only alien game in town. Bye for now… well, here and now.

Professor Kane walks away as The Doctor ponders her words. The shades remind him of something:

 

DISSOLVE TO:  
10 - INT. TARDIS FLASHBACK

Fx: another flashback (from Before The Flood), this time of Clara wearing the sonic shades, but again, he can’t hold onto it. Kate’s interruption doesn’t help.

KATE  
Doctor. The Sec Daleks have sent you a message regarding the coordinates for a rendezvous point. I don’t know why, but I don’t trust them.

THE DOCTOR  
Neither do I, Kate, but I don’t think we have a choice, if we want to avoid a deadly confrontation on Earth. And, if we wish to get Rigsy back. I should go then. Coming?

KATE  
Not this time, Doctor. I’ll leave the space travel to you. But good luck.

The Doctor nods and boards the TARDIS.

Fx: seconds later, it dematerializes. Kate has that “I’ve travelled in that box!” smile.

 

CUT TO:  
11 - EXT. NASA HEADQUARTERS - DAY

A short distance away, Samantha pulls out her mobile phone and pushes a pre-dial. Two rings and…

OSIRIS (phone recording)  
You have reached the office of Oswald Flight Charters, and congratulations, you have caught me away from my phone. Please leave your name and the best number by which to contact you, and your call will be promptly returned. Thank you, and have an awesome day. (BEEP)

SAMANTHA  
Hey, Skipper, it’s me. Ready for pickup when you get this. Bye.

Samantha scans the parking lot, looking for?

OSIRIS  
I’m ready, already.

Samantha turns to see Osiris, and something else. She looks… surprised? Annoyed? She points behind her skipper.

SAMANTHA  
Is this Tessie’s idea of a joke?

OSIRIS  
I don’t know what you’re talking a… aw, crap!

Osiris turns around to find her TARDIS has taken on the form of a port-a-potty. A TARDIS-blue port-a-potty, at least.

SAMANTHA  
Seriously, Skipper, I swear your time machine has a bathroom fetish!

OSIRIS  
How can you say that? This is only the second

SAMANTHA  
Third.

OSIRIS  
What?

SAMANTHA  
Third.

OSIRIS  
Third?

SAMANTHA  
Yes, third.

OSIRIS  
(sighs) Okay, third time this has happened. I hope at least we haven’t picked up a passenger.

SAMANTHA  
Not like the last two times.

OSIRIS  
Not like the last two times, yeah.

A rapid, truncated vworping noise emanates from her TARDIS, as if the time machine were laughing at its crew. Osiris looks over her shoulder.

OSIRIS  
Bad girl!

 

CUT TO:  
12 - EXT. ORION IV – NIGHT

Fx: shot pans to reveal the length of the Orion IV, as it turns away from the Earth. As its star drive comes into view at the rear of the craft, the ‘nozzle’ lights up, and the Orion IV rapidly accelerates out of view.

 

CUT TO:  
13 - INT. ORION IV SCIENCE MODULE – NIGHT

The science module of the Orion spacecraft has been quickly transformed by the Sec Daleks into a command post. Jenofonte and three others – Anat, Boaz and Shura – are overlooking three-dimensional view screens.

JENOFONTE SEC  
Shura, is our hostage ready for transport back to Earth?

SHURA  
Master, yes.

JENOFONTE SEC  
Teleport our hostage immediately. The Doctor I will deal with myself.

SHURA  
I obey.

Shura leaves the command post.

JENOFONTE SEC  
Boaz, the genetic sterilization weapon is ready?

BOAZ  
Ready, Master.

JENOFONTE SEC  
Engage the weapon.

BOAZ  
I obey.

Buttons are pushed. Red and yellow lights flash on the three-dimensional screens, indicating activation.

 

CUT TO:  
14 - INT. ORION IV COMMAND CAPSULE – NIGHT

Rigsy is floating, arms crossed. He stares out at the vastness of space as stars wiz past the small command capsule window. A door behind him opens and Shura enters the capsule.

SHURA  
It is time for you to leave.

RIGSY  
Have we arrived?

SHURA  
No.

RIGSY  
Then why am I leaving? We’re supposed to meet The Doctor out here somewhere.

SHURA  
You will be teleported back to the cave city on Earth. It is of no consequence to us whether you meet The Doctor again.

Shura grabs Rigsy by the elbow and pulls him out of the capsule.

RIGSY  
Hey!

 

CUT TO:  
15 - INT. ORION IV CORRIDOR – NIGHT

Rigsy grabs at hexagonal tube frames along an access corridor, but Shura is unfazed by his resistance. Both are floating in the low gravity at this end of the craft.

RIGSY  
What do you mean “whether I meet The Doctor again”?

SHURA  
This conversation is complete. You will obey.

RIGSY  
The Hell it is! And the Hell I will!

The shot pans to a bathroom stall door. Shura opens the door to what is obviously not a bathroom. After several attempts, Rigsy is pushed inside, and Shura closes the door behind him.

RIGSY  
Wait! I left my phone back in the capsule part!

SHURA  
A failed diversionary tactic that will not disrupt the progress of our mission. This conversation is complete. Remain still, Mr. Riggins.

Shura pushes a button and light beams run slowly up and down through the stall.

RIGSY  
Wait! My phone!

Shura moves away as the light beams intensify, like an aurora curtain, and move rapidly upward.

 

CUT TO:  
16 - EXT. ORION IV COMMAND CAPSULE – NIGHT

A slow zoom into the closed capsule door. Voices can be heard from within.

SEC DALEKS – O/C  
We obey! We obey!

 

CUT TO:  
17 - INT. ORION IV COMMAND CAPSULE - NIGHT

Rigsy’s mobile phone floats in the capsule. The onboard intercom system is open.

JENOFONTE SEC – O/C  
It is imperative that, with our arrival at Taraxolotus, we secure the mutiverse portal at all costs. Our eventual return home demands it.

SEC DALEKS – O/C  
We obey! We obey! We obey!

 

CUT TO:  
18 - INT. TARDIS - NIGHT

Short close-up on the speakerphone. Then we see The Doctor standing by the central console, listening.

SEC DALEKS – O/C  
We obey! We obey!

THE DOCTOR  
Way to go, Rigsy! Way to go!

The Doctor slams the time rotor handbrake as the TARDIS vworps into action.

 

CUT TO:  
19 - INT. CAVE CITY - NIGHT

Rigsy teleports into a large open section of the cave city. He takes out a pocket flashlight, turns it on and looks around, tries to get his bearings. The ceiling is high above him. He reaches for his phone, but remembers where it ended up.

RIGSY  
Dammit!

Then he hears it: that familiar vworp, announcing the cavalry. The TARDIS materializes not ten feet from him. The Doctor steps out.

THE DOCTOR  
That was brilliant, Rigsy!

RIGSY  
What was?

THE DOCTOR  
Leaving your phone on. I could hear everything.

RIGSY  
I didn’t think of it until I was taken aboard.

THE DOCTOR  
And because you did, I’m getting a better picture by the second of what their up to.

RIGSY  
You heard them talking then about a bio-weapon to sterilize us?

THE DOCTOR  
Another reason I came here. Let’s go look for that bio-weapon, shall we?

They walk out of shot.

 

CUT TO:  
20 - INT. CAVE CITY CORRIDOR - NIGHT

The Doctor and Rigsy start down an open corridor toward a split-level living area. The architecture is impressive, reminiscent of the Ood Sphere. Rigsy is awestruck; The Doctor, dismayed.

RIGSY  
What’s wrong?

THE DOCTOR  
An entire race conceived to destroy others. Their idea of beauty, of perfection, is destroying other civilizations. And yet look at this. Introduce some human DNA and look what they develop?

RIGSY  
So why then would they want to sterilize us?

THE DOCTOR  
Best guess? Forced assimilation. They sterilize a planet’s entire population, and then offer the alternatives of slow extinction, or genetic synthesis. Assimilate with us or else. Either way, the planet’s original inhabitants are… cleansed, erased.

RIGSY  
So what we looking for? A bomb?

THE DOCTOR  
Yes, something like that. Something that infects people with a contagious recessive gene. Like… I know! A terminator gene!

RIGSY  
Like terminator seeds, but for humans.

THE DOCTOR  
Yes! Oh, that’s brilliant. That’s really clever of them!

RIGSY  
You could sound a bit more concerned about it, Doctor.

THE DOCTOR  
Just marvelling at their ingenuity.

The look on Rigsy’s face tells him he’s still not off the hook.

THE DOCTOR  
Right, sorry. (pause) I doubt what we’re looking for is very big. It won’t have to be, if indeed it’s a highly contagious bio-weapon.

They walk on, deeper into the multilevel cave dwellings. The Doctor pulls out his sonic, then puts it away. Rigsy motions to the sonic.

THE DOCTOR  
Why’d I put it away? We don’t know what will trigger it.

RIGSY  
They turned it on while I was still aboard the Orion. I’m thinking timer.

THE DOCTOR  
A timer may not be the only trigger. It might be sensitive to radio waves.

RIGSY  
Like a mobile phone?

THE DOCTOR  
Like a mobile phone, yes. Good thing you left yours on the Orion.

RIGSY  
But the sonic?

THE DOCTOR  
Sound waves.

RIGSY  
So, point, but don’t shout, then?

The Doctor nods. They carry on. a short distance later, Rigsy looks at his torch.

RIGSY  
What about light waves?

THE DOCTOR  
Now you’re thinking like me! Let’s hope not.

A score more meters later, and around a bend the tunnel climbs steeply upwards to another opening, except this one is recent, unfinished. They can hear traffic noises above. The Doctor and Rigsy climb up the roughly-hewn steps.

 

CUT TO:  
21 - INT. WATERMAIN EXCAVATION – NIGHT

At the top, they encounter an underground water main, at the point where it divides into three. Right under the breakpoint they find what they are looking for: a blue and green cylinder the size of a scuba diver’s air tank, standing vertically in a metallic tripod. Patterns of small blinking lights the outside suggest it’s not an air tank.

RIGSY (sotto voce)  
Our bio-weapon?

THE DOCTOR (sotto voce)  
Uh-huh.

The Doctor moves in for a closer look. More Kaled symbols, on the device’s exterior.

THE DOCTOR (sotto voce)  
Ooh-oh. (Scottish for: Ooh-oh)

RIGSY (sotto voce)  
Ooh-oh?

THE DOCTOR  
There’s a timer, alright. But it’s not yet engaged.

RIGSY  
What?

THE DOCTOR  
It seems to be waiting for something to happen.

JENOFONTE SEC – O/C  
It is, indeed, Doctor!

Fx: beside the device, Jenofonte Sec materializes. He holds an object with a gold chain in his left hand.

JENOFONTE SEC  
I imagine, Doctor, the co-ordinates weren’t quite what you were expecting.

THE DOCTOR  
I’m not really surprised, Jenofonte, you didn’t want me to know where you’re actually going.

RIGSY  
I do.

The Doctor turns to Rigsy,

RIGSY  
A multiverse portal – whatever that is – near a place called Taraz… ? No.

then back to Jenofonte,

RIGSY  
Wait, yes. Taraz… Taraza… ?

JENOFONTE SEC  
Taraxolotus.

RIGSY  
Right. what he said.

THE DOCTOR  
Home to the ever-curious Taraxolytes. I guess it was their curiosity that did them in.

RIGSY  
You know the place?

THE DOCTOR  
Yes. One of the truly ancient races of this universe: peaceful, resourceful beings. Beautiful cities they created from gigantic trees as old as the Earth itself.

JENOFONTE SEC  
Yes, and the site of our greatest victory.

THE DOCTOR  
Victory? I wouldn’t call laying waste to an ancient civilization a victory. Not so much victory as genocide.

JENOFONTE SEC  
Not your Taraxolotus, Doctor. Ours. You see,

 

DISSOLVE TO:  
22 - PARALLEL UNIVERSE FLASHBACK

Fx: a rapid zoom into Jenofonte’s head, to the inside of a Dalek ship. The Cult of Skaro Daleks – Jast, Thay, Sec and Caan – all at work onboard.

JENOFONTE SEC – V/O  
the Cult of Skaro, in our universe, crashed not on Earth, but on Taraxolotus, due to a single-digit navigation input that made all the difference.

In the flashback: a cult of Skaro Dalek enters navigation co-ordinates. The Dalek ship veers off to the right, traveling away from Earth, to

THE DOCTOR – V/O  
A whole parallel reality created from a single change!

Taraxolotus, where a crashed Dalek ship is being examined by the translucent white creatures from the opening sequence.

JENOFONTE SEC - V/O  
Indeed. The inhabitants of Taraxolotus – curious, open-minded beings – had not encountered Daleks before. And they were, it turned out, genetically perfect beings to merge with Dalek DNA. Open to suggestion

 

DISSOLVE TO:  
23 - INT. WATERMAIN EXCAVATION - NIGHT

THE DOCTOR  
Suggestion – that fear could be stronger than compassion?

JENOFONTE SEC  
Yes, and that they had much to fear from meddling humans and Time Lords. Genetic synthesis gave us the physical traits of the Taraxolytes, combined with the intellectual superiority of the Dalek hive-mind.

THE DOCTOR  
And voila! You have the perfect monster.

JENOFONTE SEC  
Oh no, Doctor, we’re not perfect. That kind of arrogance is reserved for Time Lords. You see, that is the difference in our universe. We are superior because we never stop seeking perfection. Daleks in your universe have stunted, and largely stopped evolving. Therefore: stalemate with their bitterest rivals. In our universe, Doctor, the Dalek is master above all; we have no rivals of importance.

THE DOCTOR  
Not even a meddling, arrogant Time Lord?

JENOFONTE SEC  
Not even he, for he died at Trenzalore. Some would say, from the guilt of a fateful decision. And, the subsequent loss of a friend who could not bear to travel with the kind of monster that would kill his own kind.

The Doctor is visibly injured by the revelation.

JENOFONTE SEC  
No, Doctor. Not even he.

RIGSY  
So why are you here? In this universe?

JENOFONTE SEC  
To continue our goals of conquest, and perfection! To expand our domain, beyond our home universe, into every other. All of time and space at our command!

RIGSY  
You want it all, then.

JENOFONTE SEC  
Yes. Just like any empire, or corporation that has dominated the human landscape. You see, Mr. Riggins, you humans actually inspire the Dalek path-web, with your own, albeit meager, ambitions.

RIGSY  
And so you blow up ancient cities, and everyone else who stands in your way.

JENOFONTE SEC  
Not quite. You see, the device here is not set to destroy people or things, but hope. As a biological weapon, it will render human kind impotent. One or two generations later, no more human race. Our lower-level competition eliminated. However, if humanity wants to survive, and fear of extinction is a powerful motivator, some will find our offer one they cannot refuse.

THE DOCTOR  
Which is?

JENOFONTE SEC  
Assimilation. A complete merger of human and Sec Dalek DNA.

THE DOCTOR  
There is, of course, a catch.

JENOFONTE SEC  
Human leaders prefer to bargain from a position of relative strength. So do we.

THE DOCTOR  
My guess: human DNA will be subordinate to Sec Dalek DNA.

JENOFONTE SEC  
We would have to insist upon it. Purity through superiority. Not to worry, though, Doctor. The human traits we select for preservation will make us stronger. Of that your human friends can be proud.

THE DOCTOR  
Jenofonte, you know as well as I do that human ingenuity will find a way to thwart your happy little plans. So you might as well tell me where the other devices are so we can deactivate them.

RIGSY  
Other devices?

THE DOCTOR  
Yes. The people of this world perform very well under the pressure of a deadline. They will solve you, Jenofonte, and then they will defeat you. And I’ll help them.

JENOFONTE SEC  
But you see, Doctor, the weapon is not chronologically programed, but psychically. Its detonation is predicated on fear. The more man fears, the closer the device comes to detonation. And humans seem a fearful lot these days, don’t they?

THE DOCTOR  
But it can also go the other way, then, can it? Humanity can turn away from fear, break the programming.

JENOFONTE SEC  
Possibly, but we always reserve the option to attack. Either way, Doctor, we will prevail. Either way, mankind will be defeated, subjugated, perhaps destroyed. Assimilation or destruction, the Children of Sec will prevail!

Jenofonte tosses the object to The Doctor, who looks it over. A fob watch (close-up), engraved in the ancient language symbols of Gallifrey, like his own.

RIGSY  
What is it?

JENIFONTE SEC  
An object found, relating to a fellow traveller in time.

THE DOCTOR  
And something that should never leave the hand of a Time Lord. (to Jenofonte) So who did you kill to obtain this?

JENOFOTE SEC  
Surprisingly, no one. Two days ago, we encountered a group of archeologists working too close by for comfort. We scared them off, and that is when the soldiers got involved and, subsequently, killed. This watch was the most interesting artefact left behind. Kept, I suspect, by the woman leading the expedition. I have a feeling, Doctor, you know her.

THE DOCTOR  
Yes, I probably do.

JENOFONTE SEC  
I believe she may know who is trapped inside.

The Doctor, surprised, looks at the watch, brings it to his ear. He appears even more surprised by what he hears.

RIGSY  
Trapped? Inside the watch?

THE DOCTOR  
Here, have a listen. But don’t open it.

JENOFONTE SEC  
It’s jammed shut. Deliberately, I suspect.

Rigsy brings the fob watch to his ear (close-up). His eyes widen in shock. He recognizes the voice. But how?

OSIRIS (?) (sotto voce)  
“The secret lies within. I'm trapped. I'm kept inside the cogs.”

RIGSY  
But, how?

THE DOCTOR  
Remind me later to give you a crash course on Time Lords and chameleon arches.

JENOFONTE SEC  
A crash course usually results in a dead pilot.

THE DOCTOR  
Oh, shut up! I hate a witty Dalek.

JENOFONTE SEC  
“Better a witty fool than a foolish wit.”

THE DOCTOR  
Oaugh, no! A Dalek that quotes Shakespeare? No really, just shut up!

JENOFONTE SEC  
Like I would take orders from a Time Lord? You are the foolish wit, Doctor.

THE DOCTOR  
Maybe so, but your quote from the Bard reminds me: why exactly, Jenofonte, have you stayed here on Earth for sixty-two years while in possession of a star drive? Daleks are a restless lot, always looking for another planet to be afraid of and conquer.

JENOFONTE SEC  
To study Shakespeare! And, human nature in general. It’s important to know one’s opponent better than they know themselves.

THE DOCTOR  
And I know a lot about you, Jenofonte. At the core, you are still a Dalek. A one-eyed creature with a one-track mind: fear and destroy everything that doesn’t look or act like you.

JENOFONTE SEC  
That would describe many of your human friends, Doctor. Seems you haven’t been a very good teacher. But I digress. This verbal sparring match has been quite enjoyable, but I have a prior engagement.

RIGSY  
With the Skaro Delegation, I suppose?

The Doctor turns to Rigsy,

JENOFONTE SEC  
Yes. (laughs cynically – sounds rather nasally and high-pitched)

then back to Jenofonte.

JENOFONTE SEC  
Well, Doctor, not all of your students have been wasting years playing Pokemon. You and they may yet prove worthy opponents. There are, by the way, twenty-seven such infertility devices scattered about this world, and no, I have no intention of helping you find them.

THE DOCTOR  
I thought it would be worth a try. And by the way, Jenofonte, this Skaro Delegation you’re likely trying to play games with. They may seem inferior to you,

JENOFONTE SEC  
Oh, but they are!

THE DOCTOR  
but I remember quite well what happened to Dalek Sec in this universe. They may be playing with you. Consider yourself warned.

Jenofonte lets go of another cynical laugh.

JENOFONTE SEC  
Mr. Riggins: ask your friend, sometime, his real name. Observe carefully his response.

Jenofonte steps away from the device, lifts his sleeve and engages a bracelet on his left arm.

Fx: he starts to dematerialize.

JENOFONTE SEC  
Doctor Who, indeed!

RIGSY  
Telling people to be less fearful at times like this is easier said than done.

THE DOCTOR  
Yes.

RIGSY  
And I’m betting we don’t have that kind of time.

THE DOCTOR  
No, probably not.

RIGSY  
So, um, what do we do?

THE DOCTOR  
I dunno.

The Doctor reads the question on Rigsy’s face.

THE DOCTOR  
Why do I always have to have all the answers?

RIGSY  
Clara told me you’re a really good at problem-solving. Making up brilliant plans under pressure.

THE DOCTOR  
She did, did she?

RIGSY  
Well, yeah. I mean, that was before…

THE DOCTOR  
Before what?

RIGSY  
Before the trap street, in London. (pause) Where she… died.

The Doctor’s look: searching, coming up blank.

THE DOCTOR  
Can’t remember that part.

RIGSY  
(scoffs) Lucky you!

THE DOCTOR  
Frankly, I can’t remember much of anything about Clara.

RIGSY  
Ten years, and it feels like yesterday!

THE DOCTOR  
It’s all a bit fuzzy.

Rigsy’s look: incredulous.

RIGSY  
Her scream! How can you forget something like that?

THE DOCTOR  
Something happened, I

RIGSY  
I’ve had nightmares about that scream!

THE DOCTOR  
Well, lucky you! I’ve had nothing!

RIGSY (crying)  
What?

THE DOCTOR  
Years and years of nothing but shadows! (scoffs) Everyone else I know remembers something important about Clara. You, Vastra, Kate, Jenny, Strax, but me… ?

He shakes head, turns about wildly, like he’s searching desperately for something.

THE DOCTOR  
There are places I remember. The trap street; well, parts of it, anyway. Places we’ve been to, things we’ve done together; just not her part of the story. It’s like… it’s like there’s this shadow, masking her every move, her every sound. Ask me about her voice, her face, what she said, how she laughed or cried, her favourite food or book, or what she wore, and I-I come up blank. I get glimpses but I just can’t hold onto it.

He stares blankly for a moment, biting his lip.

THE DOCTOR  
You, Rigsy, you can grieve for Clara, but… nothing. I wish… I really wish… I could hear her scream! I know that sounds completely mad, but… But then, I’d actually have something to hold onto. Finally, I’d have someone to mourn.

He stares at the bio-weapon for a few seconds. His face: the fury of Time Lord, building, looking for a way to vent.

THE DOCTOR  
As for this piece of Dalek junk,

The Doctor kicks the bio-weapon, startling Rigsy. He tries not to let on that he’s hurt his foot.

THE DOCTOR  
It’s not going off anytime soon. Come on, Christopher Riggins. Let’s fight some Daleks!

Camera zooms into the bio-weapon as Rigsy and The Doctor leave. It starts to beep out a repeated pattern of notes.

 

CUT TO:  
24 - INT. TARDIS - NIGHT

As they arrive back at the TARDIS, The Doctor starts to check instruments in the centre console. Rigsy has a look around as he asks

RIGSY  
We gonna chase after them?

THE DOCTOR  
Sort of. Did you notice that Jenofonte made no effort to kill us?

RIGSY  
Yeah. Even when they had me prisoner. They threatened me, but nothing more. It felt like they only did that to ensure I’d co-operate.

The Doctor flips out his sonic and gives a Rigsy a scan.

THE DOCTOR  
And how did you co-operate? Did they make you take or do anything?

RIGSY  
No.

The sonic scan picks up something near Rigsy’s right ear that gets The Doctor’s attention.

THE DOCTOR  
Interesting. Were you ever unconscious?

RIGSY  
Hmm. Don’t think so. (looks at sonic) What? What is it? Is something wrong?

THE DOCTOR  
There’s a nanochip in, or on, your right ear. Otherwise, everything checks out.

RIGSY  
A nanochip?

THE DOCTOR  
Yeah. (looks inquisitively at Rigsy) You haven’t done anything that would give Jen a reason not to trust you? Have you?

RIGSY  
No!

THE DOCTOR  
Okay, then. Let’s assume it’s Jenofonte and his friends. They’re probably using the nanochip to track your movements.

RIGSY  
Which means?

THE DOCTOR  
Which means they’ll know we’re coming.

Rigsy thinks about this, strokes his right ear lobe as The Doctor set some controls.

RIGSY  
Maybe I should get off, then.

THE DOCTOR  
Rigsy: this Jenofonte fellow expects us to make an entrance. So,

Close-up on the time rotor handbrake as The Doctor sets the TARDIS in motion, then back to Rigsy and The Doctor.

THE DOCTOR  
an entrance is exactly what I plan to give him!

 

CUT TO:  
25 – INT. WATERMAIN EXCAVATION - NIGHT

Fx: the TARDIS dematerializes. The bio-weapon’s patterned beeping noises become more frequent and elaborate.

 

CUT TO:  
26 – EXT. TARDIS - DEEP SPACE

The TARDIS spins away from the Earth into deep space.

 

CUT TO:  
27 - INT. TARDIS - NIGHT

The Doctor is looking onscreen at diagrams for the Orion spacecraft.

THE DOCTOR  
Rigsy, do you remember where you left your phone?

RIGSY  
Don’t know what t’s called, but it’s where all the navigation and engine controls are located. Near the front of the ship.

THE DOCTOR  
And how about where you heard the Sec Daleks talking about the multiverse portal?

RIGSY  
Closer to the middle of the ship. That room had its own gravity.

THE DOCTOR  
Okay, then. Good to know. Now,

Their conversation is interrupted by a loud, whelping siren. The TARDIS starts to lurch violently. Rigsy and The Doctor grab the handrails.

THE DOCTOR  
Oaugh, no, not now!

RIGSY  
What is that?

THE DOCTOR  
I’m busy surprising Daleks!

RIGSY  
But what is it?

THE DOCTOR  
“Implosive Solar Entity Detector”

RIGSY  
Implosive? Wild guess here,

 

CUT TO:  
28 - EXT. TARDIS - NIGHT

Fx: the TARDIS struggles against the pull of a small black disc in the background.

RIGSY – O/C  
but I’m thinking ‘black hole detector’, yeah?

 

CUT TO:  
29 - INT. TARDIS - NIGHT

THE DOCTOR  
Perfect guess, Rigsy! Top of the class!

The Doctor looks up at the bookshelf beside his recliner as several volumes tumble off.

THE DOCTOR  
Pardon me skipping the obligatory high-five. Bumpy flight!

RIGSY  
Does this mean we’re about to get sucked into one? A black hole?

THE DOCTOR  
And you want to know because?

RIGSY  
Just thought I’d give Jen a ring. You know, let her know I’ll be late for dinner.

THE DOCTOR  
It means we’ve strayed too close to the event horizon for comfort. The TARDIS is moving us to safety. At least that’s what I think I programmed it to do.

 

CUT TO:  
30 - EXT. TARDIS - NIGHT

The TARDIS stops lurching about. To the right of the TARDIS, particles of light can be seen slowly spinning around the edge of the black hole.

THE DOCTOR – O/C  
Right, then,

 

CUT TO:  
31 - INT. TARDIS - NIGHT

THE DOCTOR  
that’s better!

The Doctor goes back to his instruments, frowns.

RIGSY  
So, what’s that face for?

THE DOCTOR  
It’s my ‘I don’t get it’ face.

RIGSY.  
Makes two of us. What don’t you get?

THE DOCTOR  
This black hole I’m looking at. Something about it isn’t adding up.

Fx: scanner (close-up) reveals, in more detail, the movement of light particles around the black hole’s event horizon.

RIGSY – O/C  
Such as?

THE DOCTOR – O/C  
Almost everything. The rate at which it accumulates stuff, versus its age. You see,

Back to the Doctor/Rigsy two-shot.

THE DOCTOR  
black holes grow over time. They start out small, but can grow so large as to swallow whole solar systems in a gulp! This particular black hole is tiny! It’s no bigger than the external dimensions of the TARDIS! I’m talking about the police box part, of course.

RIGSY  
And that’s important?

THE DOCTOR  
That’s huge! Black holes are almost never this small, unless they’re just forming. But the sensors indicate this fella’s been accumulating stuff for four or five billion years. This is massive! Okay, not literally massive. The black hole isn’t massive, but that it’s so small after all this time, that’s

RIGSY  
Massive, okay. Meaning?

THE DOCTOR  
Meaning, there has to be something special about this black hole to keep it going for so long without growing into something as big as the sun.

RIGSY  
Like what?

THE DOCTOR  
I don’t know, but I wanna find out.

The Doctor re-sets his scanners to pick up any emissions from the black hole’s event horizon. He puts on a set of headphones, listens. What he hears then shocks him.

RIGSY  
What is it?

THE DOCTOR  
Voices. The sensors are picking up voices in the emissions.

RIGSY  
I thought

THE DOCTOR  
That sound doesn’t travel in a vacuum? No, it doesn’t. But every sound has a corresponding electrical impulse record. Otherwise, recorded music would never be possible.

RIGSY  
That would suck.

THE DOCTOR  
Yes, yes, indeed that would suck. Here. Listen.

He opens the speaker phone on the comms panel.

Fx: dozens of voices, speaking at once. All in a panicked state, pleading for escape. Prisoners? Of what? The Doctor then remembers something. Shot zooms into his face as

 

DISSOLVE TO:  
32 – FLASHBACK: ‘THE DREAMS OF OSIRIS OSWIN’

Fx: the cave-dream sequence with Osiris and Samantha:

OSIRIS  
Souls.

THE DOCTOR  
(Trapped like flies)

 

DISSOLVE TO:  
33 – INT. TARDIS – NIGHT

THE DOCTOR  
Wait a minute!

The Doctor makes a small adjustment. The scanner screen (close-up) reveals “Scale of scan adjusted by factor 10x100”. The Doctor’s mouth drops.

THE DOCTOR  
Souls! Of course!

RIGSY  
What?

THE DOCTOR  
Souls! It’s feeding off them! (answers Rigsy’s unspoken question) Souls are made of memories, feelings, thoughts, and these contain energy. And what you’re hearing, Rigsy, is the record of that energy being sucked into that little black hole! The question is: why? And why only souls? And why does this sound so familiar?

RIGSY  
Does this have anything to do with those Sec Daleks?

THE DOCTOR  
I dunno. Perhaps nothing. Perhaps everything!

The Doctor suddenly remembers why they came to that location in the first place. He changes the scanner settings yet again, searches, for?

THE DOCTOR  
Where is it? Where’d it go?

RIGSY  
Taraxolotus?

THE DOCTOR  
Yeah. We’ve stopped here because… because this is where it should be. But no Taraxolotus in sight. And yet the scanners indicate a planetary mass right below us. (pause) Question: what do you do to keep someone from obtaining your personal data from your mobile phone?

RIGSY  
You encrypt it.

THE DOCTOR  
But what if you didn’t want anyone to even know you had an encrypted phone?

Rigsy ponders a moment before

RIGSY  
Use a different phone?

THE DOCTOR  
Exactly!

RIGSY  
So what are you getting at?

THE DOCTOR  
Bear with me a moment. (pause) Question: if you lived on a planet that just happens to also be home to a multiverse portal, what would you do to conceal the portal’s existence?

RIGSY  
If I catch your drift, Doctor, I’d encrypt the portal. But how would I do that?

THE DOCTOR  
By making everyone else think it’s really somewhere else. You can’t reduce a geo-astrophysical feature, let alone a whole planet, to bits and bytes of binary code. But you can create the illusion that your planet isn’t where it’s supposed to be, or hide it in plain sight, as a

RIGSY  
Different phone, er, planet!

The Doctor heads to the door,

THE DOCTOR  
Or in this case, a future star.

opens it.

RIGSY  
Wait! Stop!

THE DOCTOR  
It’s okay. I forgot to mention there’s an airshell around the TARDIS. (motions to Rigsy) C’mon, have a look.

Rigsy cautiously walks up (camera following) to the door.

 

CUT TO:  
34 - EXT. TARDIS - NIGHT

His look: astonishment at the expanse of stars and galaxies before him. He tries to say something, but can only hand gesture and vocalize incoherently.

THE DOCTOR  
I agree!

 

CUT TO:  
35 – INT. TARDIS – NIGHT

Looking out, The Doctor points to a giant red star and a nearby, pale-green planet.

THE DOCTOR  
The binary star Xalgerius. Or, at least it could be, in about a million years. Visible to the naked eye, seventy thousand light years from Earth. (points to the red giant) That, is Xalgerius A, the larger of the two stars.

Shot drifts down and right to the pale-green planet.

THE DOCTOR  
The Taraxolytes were creating a new star out of passing asteroids and rogue planets when the Time War began. But where there should be Xalgerius B – the smaller proto star yet to be born – we have instead what looks like a planet. In fact, it looks very so much like Taraxolotus a space mariner might land there by mistake.

RIGSY  
Okay, then. Where is Taraxolotus?

THE DOCTOR  
Right below us. Its atmosphere altered in some way to mask its presence.

The Doctor closes the door, heads back to the centre console. He sets his navigation controls, goes to the time rotor handbrake. He stops, has another look at his scanners, looking for?

RIGSY  
But how would you go about altering an atmosphere? Chemicals?

THE DOCTOR  
No. Too easy to detect the presence of a foreign substance.

RIGSY  
Okay, then, but… ?

THE DOCTOR  
A hologrammatic projection would work, but it would take whopping amounts of energy to project a false atmos…

They look at each other for a moment, each seemingly waiting for the other to exclaim

THE DOCTOR/RIGSY  
The black hole!

They do a sloppy high-five. Then The Doctor starts looking pensively at the scanners again.

THE DOCTOR  
Something’s not right. That black hole. It might be billions of years old, but it’s a recent arrival in this neighbourhood. (pause) What – or who, maybe – brought it here? I need to know more about this. Let’s go visit Taraxolotus and have a poke.

Time rotor handbrake released (close-up), tilt up to reveal the rotor spinning.

 

CUT TO:  
36 - TARAXOLOTUS - NIGHT

Fx; the TARDIS materializes next to what looks like a giant boney-grey finger. The sky is a dark grey, with the pale reddish disc of Xalgerius A above the horizon. The Doctor and Rigsy step out. Camera widens and tilts up to reveal the TARDIS completely dwarfed by a giant tree city, perhaps a mile high. Symmetrical pattern of branches, extending almost as far as the tree is tall, tapers as they reach out from the central trunk. Some appear to be missing.

RIGSY  
Gigantic tree cities as old as the Earth.

THE DOCTOR  
Yes, and once one of the most beautiful places in all of cosmos.

They look around, for?

THE DOCTOR  
Hello? Hello? (pause) Thought I’d give it a try. So much for the entrance.

RIGSY  
Place looks abandoned.

THE DOCTOR  
Taraxolotus was an early target of the Daleks in the Time War. Targeted because of stories about the multiverse portal.

RIGSY  
Which is, just so I can answer the skill-testing question later?

THE DOCTOR  
A doorway, if you like, between multiple, parallel universes. One that opens and closes periodically, sometimes randomly. The location, it is said, drifts so as to keep its location secret to all but the few tasked with protecting it from opportunists.

RIGSY  
Daleks.

THE DOCTOR  
Not just. Cybermen. Humans. Zygons. Time Lords. We are all opportunists.

RIGSY  
But if the Daleks attacked this planet, does that mean they found the portal?

THE DOCTOR  
No, but not for lack of trying. In the meantime, they laid waste to Taraxolotus, killed more than ninety percent of the population, and turned the rest into puppets. Hybrid creatures that appear, in this case, to be Taraxolyte, but are, for all intents and purposes, fully Dalek.

The Doctor sighs, kicks at the ground, and looks off into the distance, to the rising red Xalgerian sun.

RIGSY  
You regret something. What is it?

THE DOCTOR  
When you have lived as many lives as I have, Rigsy, and done all that I have done, you often wonder about the choices you have made. Moments that decided the fate of many. Was there, perhaps, another way? Did I really explore all the options? I try not to think about them too much, because to do so would drive you mad. Anyone would go mad, even a Time Lord. And yet you do think about them, because that’s what you do when you care.

The Doctor gestures toward the tree city above them.

THE DOCTOR  
It is the mistakes you think about most. Your mistakes never really leave you. The ones where you thought you’d done the best you could, or at least you convinced yourself at the time you did. These are the choices that can come back to haunt you, drive you into madness.

RIGSY  
What happened?

THE DOCTOR  
Early in the Time War, I had an opportunity to help the Taraxolytes, and I chose not to. I had grown weary of intervening when Time Lords refused to step up. It was me who took the risks, who lost when things went wrong. The Time Lords, all the while, did nothing. Only if Gallifrey itself was at risk would they intervene.

He looks up at the tree city again. A tear streams down his face.

THE DOCTOR  
I wanted heal the wounds, not inflict them. So this time, I stepped away. “This time,” I said to myself, “they will surely intervene. Taraxolotus is as old as Gallifrey itself; cousins who grew up together. This time, surely, the Time Lords will put away their silly robes and headdresses, roll up their sleeves and fight.” But they didn’t raise a finger, and a peaceful people were slaughtered. The Time Lords washed their hands in the blood of a billion Taraxolytes, and left me with the shame and the guilt.

Rigsy nods in acknowledgement.

RIGSY  
Look, what I said before about Clara. I didn’t know about all this. If I did, I wouldn’t

THE DOCTOR  
Rigsy, the number doesn’t matter. One person or a billion; every life to me is precious. Every life is worth saving, if at all possible. Someone once reminded me to “be a doctor” in moments like that, so that’s what I do. And like any good doctor, I’m not happy when I lose a patient. (pause) The tree next to us is the capital city. Let’s go inside, have a look around.

The Doctor starts towards a break between two vertical strands of bark. Rigsy looks up in amazement.

RIGSY  
So, who or what are we looking for?

THE DOCTOR  
Not sure, actually. Directions to the multiverse portal would be ideal, to save time.

 

CUT TO:  
37 – INT. TREE CITY – DAY

As they enter the tree city (camera leading), they look up. Fx: tilt up to get a visual impression of enormity of scale. The hollow ring between the exterior and the first inner layer extends upward as far as the eye can see. Rigsy whistles in wonder.

THE DOCTOR  
That, or any of the planet’s original inhabitants.

RIGSY  
The Taraxolytes.

THE DOCTOR  
Mm-hmm. Frankly I’m kind of hoping we made it here before the Sec Daleks. The scanners picked up a small handful of lifeforms; species unknown.

RIGSY  
And you have no idea who they might be.

THE DOCTOR  
Not a clue.

RIGSY  
So, we could be walking into a trap, then.

THE DOCTOR  
Yeah, maybe. Maybe not.

The Doctor walks through the arch into another inner layer. Think tree rings, only way bigger on the inside!

RIGSY  
Why do I get the feeling, Doctor, you’re just making this up as we’re going along?

THE DOCTOR  
Well, I usually do.

Rigsy stops short of the door.

THE DOCTOR  
Better workout for the brain. Developing a… plan… under pressure. Okay, what is it?

RIGSY  
I-I’m just wondering if I should ask that question Jenofonte said I should ask.

THE DOCTOR  
And how would that serve you?

RIGSY  
I might have a better idea then who I’m risking my life with.

THE DOCTOR  
That’s easy. Same as I tell everyone else: I’m a mad man with a box!

RIGSY  
And I thought Athens or the Orion IV was risky

THE DOCTOR  
Rigsy, please don’t be the kind of person who’s so paranoid of one thing – terrorism, let’s say – that you don’t see the terror lurking in your own bathtub.

RIGSY  
Bathtub?

THE DOCTOR  
Soap! That bar of soap you thought you put back in the soap dish but no, you didn’t. You lot worry too much about chance events, and forget the slippery demon at your feet. (leans in) Soap… is sinister!

RIGSY  
Perspective, okay, I get that. Just don’t tell that ‘soap is sinister’ stuff to Lucy. She’s ten but she’s still impressionable. You’ll scar her

THE DOCTOR  
Wait! I see something. Over here!

The Doctor runs over to a clear screen covering a marble-like podium.

THE DOCTOR  
This is what I’m looking for! An baroscreen.

The Doctor hesitates, then blows across the screen. Schematic diagrams appear on the screen.

RIGSY  
A what?

THE DOCTOR  
Think barometric pressure. Air pressure from thinking and blowing on the screen.

RIGSY  
You’ve lost me.

THE DOCTOR  
What do you do when you use a touchscreen?

RIGSY  
You… touch the screen?

THE DOCTOR  
Right. Now, in this case, you think and then you blow on the screen.

RIGSY  
Sounds like blowing out candles on a cake.

THE DOCTOR  
Yes, and what do you do before you blow out the candles?

RIGSY  
Make a wish?

THE DOCTOR  
Right. Same principle here, except in this case you think of a question you want the answer to, like “Where do I find the nearest multiverse portal?”. Then you blow on the screen (blows again) and viola, you get…

A warning alarm starts to sound.

THE DOCTOR  
Well I wasn’t expecting that.

They both look at the screen, which is showing an error message. Message reads: ILLEGAL QUESTION.

RIGSY  
Looks like you blew it.

Columns of blinding red laser light surround them. Blue lights appear in the distance.

THE DOCTOR  
Well, I’ll have you know that notion of ‘making a wish’ before blowing the candles is a bit rubbish.

RIGSY  
Yeah, well don’t tell that to Lucy. She’s

THE DOCTOR  
She’s still impressionable. Yes, I know.

The blue lights turn out to be eyestalks, protruding from the heads of Sec Daleks.

SEC DALEK SENTRY 1  
Intruder! Intruder! Intruder alert has sounded! Identify the intruder!

THE DOCTOR  
I guess we didn’t beat the Sec Daleks here after all.

A squad of six Sec Daleks surround Rigsy and The Doctor. They don’t appear to be armed, and yet Rigsy and The Doctor raise their hands.

SEC DALEK SENTRY 2  
Identify yourselves! Identify! Identify!

THE DOCTOR  
Why should I? Besides, you should already know who I am.

SEC DALEK SENTRY 2  
We do not answer questions! You will identify yourselves!

THE DOCTOR  
Go to Hell!

SEC DALEK SENTRY 1  
We will not travel to imaginary human places! You will identify yourselves!

THE DOCTOR  
No, we will not identify ourselves. We demand to meet your

SEC DALEK SENTRY 1  
You will not make demands! You will follow us to the holding cell for further interrogation!

The laser bars are switched off, and the sentries lead The Doctor and Rigsy away.

THE DOCTOR  
Finally, some progress.

RIGSY  
And just how exactly is a holding cell progress?

THE DOCTOR  
If you want to know your enemies’ plans, get yourself captured.

SEC DALEK SENTRY 2  
Silence! You will not speak unless spoken to by the Children of Sec!

RIGSY  
So much for dinner!

SEC DALEK SENTRY 2  
Silence!

 

CUT TO:  
38 – INT. TREE CITY HOLDING CELL – DAY

The Doctor and Rigsy are once again surrounded by laser bars, in a space about three metres square. One of the sentries renews the interrogation.

SEC DALEK SENTRY 1  
You will identify yourselves!

THE DOCTOR  
I will not.

SEC DALEK SENTY 1  
You will identify yourselves, or the other intruder will be exterminated!

SEC DALEK SENTRIES  
Exterminate! Exterminate! Exterminate! Extermin

THE DOCTOR  
Alright, then! I’m The Doctor.

SEC DALEK SENTRY 2  
Do not lie!

THE DOCTOR  
I’m not lying! Why would I lie? I’m The Doctor. I come from the planet Gallifrey, in the constellation of

SEC DALEK SENTRY 2  
The Doctor is dead!

THE DOCTOR  
Why would you say that? I’m right here, right in front of you.

SEC DALEK SENTRY 1  
The Doctor was killed in battle at Trenzalore!

RIGSY  
That’s what Jenofonte said.

THE DOCTOR  
Yes.

SEC DALEK SENTRY 1  
What do you know of Master Jenofonte?

THE DOCTOR  
Well, we’re old friends, actually. We go back a long way. Sixty-two years, in

SEC DALEK SENTRY 1  
Silence! Do not mock our leader!

THE DOCTOR  
Well, that touched a nerve.

SEC DALEK SENTRY 1  
You will not mock Master Jenofonte!

THE DOCTOR  
Okay! Okay! I apologize. But we have met your Master Jenofonte, on Earth. That is the truth.

The Sec Daleks turn toward each other, as if in deliberation. The Doctor and Rigsy watch.

RIGSY (sotto voce)  
So, what do you think they’re discussing?

THE DOCTOR (sotto voce)  
Not sure. But it would seem they’re not in regular contact with their peers on Earth. In fact, I’d wager that these Sec Daleks have been isolated for a very long time.

RIGSY (sotto voce)  
Like, sixty-two years?

THE DOCTOR (sotto voce)  
Mm-hmm.

RIGSY (sotto voce)  
They act more like regular Daleks.

THE DOCTOR (otto voce)  
Yes. Too much like.

The Sec Dalek sentries break from their discussion and face The Doctor and Rigsy.

SEC DALEK SENTRY 1  
You will lead us to Master Jenofonte!

THE DOCTOR  
And why would I do that?

SEC DALEK SENTRY 1  
You will not ask questions! You will obey! Obey!

SEC DALEK SENTRIES  
Obey! Obey! Obey!

THE DOCTOR  
Alright! Fine! Where is your ship, that we may lead you to him?

SEC DALEK SENTRY 2  
You have a ship. We have procured your ship for our use.

THE DOCTOR  
It’s very small. There’s only enough room for two.

SEC DALEK SENTRY 2  
Do not lie! You have a Type 40 TARDIS. That is Time Lord technology. You will operate your ship under our command!

THE DOCTOR  
If you know that I operate a Type 40 TARDIS, then why do you not believe that I am The Doctor?

SEC DALEK SENTRY 2  
The Doctor was killed at Trenzalore.

THE DOCTOR  
Fine, then. I refuse to co-operate with you so long as you refuse to acknowledge me as The Doctor.

SEC DALEK SENTRY 1  
You will obey! Obey!

SEC DALEK SENTRIES  
Obey! Obey! Obey!

The Dalek Sunday morning chorus is interrupted by a loud explosion. The tree city shudders. The Doctor, Rigsy and the Sec Dalek sentries look around as material falls about them.

SEC DALEK SENTRY 2  
What is happening?

 

CUT TO:  
39 - EXT. TREE CITY - DAY

Fx: the tree city comes under attack, as seen from above and below. Branches start to fall from the structure, making thunderous crashes as they hit the ground far below.

 

CUT TO:  
40 – ORBIT ABOVE TARAXOLOTUS – DAY

Fx: high above Taraxolotus, the Orion IV has taken on the role of laser gunship, firing relentlessly upon the capital city tree.

 

CUT TO:  
41 – INT. TREE CITY HOLDING CELL – DAY

SEC DALEK SENTRY 1  
We are under attack! Defend! Defend! Defend!

The laser bars fail,

THE DOCTOR  
Run!

and The Doctor and Rigsy run from the holding cell room into a long, arching corridor.

 

CUT TO:  
42 – INT. TREE CITY CORRIDOR – DAY

THE DOCTOR  
Why do I get the feeling Master Jenofonte Sec is leading the attack on this lonely outpost?

RIGSY  
He said on the Orion they had to secure the multiverse portal at all costs. But why attack their own people?

THE DOCTOR  
Because these are not their own people!

RIGSY  
You’ve lost me again, Doctor.

Another thunderous crash outside almost knocks Rigsy and The Doctor off their feet.

THE DOCTOR  
Back there (points back to holding cell room), our captors, are puppets of the Daleks from this universe. They must have discovered the Sec Dalek garrison here, deemed them to be ‘impure’. They were subsequently killed and converted into puppets that put on the appearance of what they were before.

RIGSY  
You think Jenofonte knows this?

THE DOCTOR  
Almost certainly. The garrison here probably sent Jenofonte and his crew a warning before they were killed. Sneak attack for sneak attack. Typical Daleks. C’mon!

 

CUT TO:  
43 – TARAXOLUTUS – DAY

The Doctor and Rigsy make it back to the outside. Looking up, they see laser strikes repeatedly pound the already stricken capital city tree. Rigsy looks for the TARDIS.

RIGSY  
I don’t see it.

Then they hear it: the ominous toll of the TARDIS cloister bell.

THE DOCTOR  
I know. It should be right

He points to where the TARDIS was last, but now there is a pile of gigantic, broken branches in its place.

THE DOCTOR  
there

Another toll. Then The Doctor sees his time ship, on its side, buried under a shattered branch.

THE DOCTOR  
Hang in there, girl!

Rigsy looks up, points and yells.

RIGSY  
Doctor!

The cloister bell tolls once more as the TARDIS

Fx: dematerializes at the very moment a huge branch crashes down in the exact spot where it had just been. The Doctor looks at once both relieved and concerned. He is searching his coat pockets.

RIGSY  
Doctor?

THE DOCTOR  
Good news and bad news, Rigsy.

RIGSY  
Okay. Good news?

THE DOCTOR  
The TARDIS survived getting crushed by that tree branch.

RIGSY  
And you know that because?

THE DOCTOR  
The Hostile Action Displacement System kicked in. Essentially, it relocated. Flew away, somewhere.

RIGSY  
And I’m guessing the bad news is you have no idea where.

THE DOCTOR  
Actually, that’s the ‘in-between-good-and-bad-news’… news.

RIGSY  
So what’s the real bad news?

THE DOCTOR  
I can recall the TARDIS with my key or my sonic screwdriver… but for some strange reason, I left them (gestures elsewhere) in the TARDIS. I never do that!

More laser shots into the trunk of the tree city next to them. A thunderous cracking sound from above. More chunks fall away, making a thunderous crash that causes Rigsy and The Doctor to flinch.

RIGSY  
But, what about you sonic sunglasses? They can recall the TARDIS, too, can’t they?

The Doctor smiles awkwardly, painfully.

THE DOCTOR  
Wanna hear some even worse news?

RIGSY / THE DOCTOR  
They’re in the TARDIS. / They’re in the TARDIS, yeah.

An enormous, groaning crack as the giant tree city starts to list ever-so-slowly towards them.

THE DOCTOR  
Rigsy, I am so very sorry,

RIGSY  
Don’t say it!

THE DOCTOR  
but it looks like our goose is cooked.

RIGSY  
We can outrun it as it collapses, can’t we?

THE DOCTOR  
The trunk’s three hundred metres wide – never mind the branches – and we’re smack in the middle.

The Doctor puts out his hand,

THE DOCTOR  
We’re one miracle short of a miracle, Christopher Riggins, but it’s been an honour to travel with you.

and Rigsy, terrified but resigned, reluctantly takes it.

RIGSY  
And you, Doctor.

The shake hands. More loud cracks and snaps, closer together. So loud that initially they don’t hear the familiar sound. Then they do. It’s…

Fx: a port-a-potty? A TARDIS blue port-a-potty materializes only a few metres away. They look at each other as if to confirm having the same pre-death hallucination. Then the door swings open.

OSIRIS  
Anyone fancy a lift?

RIGSY  
Clara!

Rigsy leaps up the step and throws his arms around Osiris.

OSIRIS  
Sure, if you like.

She turns back to the Doctor as Rigsy bounds past her.

OSIRIS  
You coming?

The Doctor’s look: confused? Embarrassed?

THE DOCTOR  
Well…

OSIRIS  
You look like you’ve seen a ghost.

THE DOCTOR  
Maybe I have. Maybe… I am?

More ominous sounds from above. The Doctor looks up. The tree city’s lean has reached the point of no return.

OSIRIS  
Well, while you’re thinking about that, you might wanna step inside. There’s a rather large tree bearing down on us.

THE DOCTOR  
(points to door) Right. Good.

He climbs in. Osiris slams the door behind her.

OSIRIS  
Sammy, go!

 

CUT TO:  
44 - INT. TESSIE - DAY

Close-up as Samantha engages Tessie’s time rotor handbrake.

 

CUT TO:  
45 – TARAXOLOTUS – DAY

Fx: Tessie dematerializes as the gigantic tree topples over with a roaring crash. Shot pans to the right, where a group of small white translucent creatures stand together. The real Taraxolytes. We hear the opening notes of their song of sorrow (no lyrics), lamenting their shattered home. (tune sounds like Bonny Portmore)

Fx: shot zooms up into orbit above Taraxolotus. Their song continues as first the Orion IV comes into view, then Tessie.

 

CUT TO:  
46 – INT. TESSIE – DAY

The Doctor scans the inside of this unfamiliar TARDIS, then his rescuers.

THE DOCTOR  
Your timing is greatly appreciated. Now, to what do I owe this favour? Providence? Good fortune?

RIGSY  
Doctor, they rescued us!

OSIRIS  
That’s okay, Rigsy. The Doctor’s questionable bedside manner is one of his universal trademarks. I expected nothing less. The timing, Doctor, is owed to a tracking device my first mate here planted in your TARDIS, um… yesterday, it was, when you two met in Central Park.

THE DOCTOR  
I destroyed that tracking device.

OSIRIS  
You opened the back, because you never, ever like being told what not to do.

THE DOCTOR  
I’m going to guess then that there were two tracking devices, one inside the other?

OSIRIS  
No. Just one. But one so small you’d probably never find it.

Rigsy and The Doctor together realize it wasn’t Jenofonte.

THE DOCTOR/RIGSY  
The nanochip!

OSIRIS  
Oh, so you did find it, then?

THE DOCTOR  
Actually, I detected it… (points to Rigsy)

RIGSY  
It was… in my ear.

SAMANTHA  
You blew the fibres out, didn’t you? (jumps gleefully) I knew it! You blew it! I’m surprised you didn’t swallow it.

THE DOCTOR  
Okay, I get that you’re excited your tiny little tracking device worked. Meanwhile, me and Rigsy here are trying to figure how and why a tiny, ages-old black hole ends up near one of the oldest planets in the galaxy.

OSIRIS  
That’s easy: to conceal a planet

THE DOCTOR  
A planet hiding a multiverse portal, yes.

OSIRIS  
No. To conceal a planet’s return to this universe, from a parallel, pocket universe.

THE DOCTOR  
A parallel pocket universe? W-what planet are we talking about?

OSIRIS  
Gallifrey, of course. (to Rigsy) The Doctor’s home world. Mine,too.

RIGSY  
Wait. I thought you were

OSIRIS  
Human? No. Clara was. I’m not. I’m… I’m not Clara.

She sees the palpable disappointment in Rigsy’s face. She tries to explain.

OSIRIS  
I look like Clara, because I once travelled with Clara. Inside her, that is.

RIGSY  
Inside?

THE DOCTOR  
Inhabitation? That’s an evil trick only The Master would pull!

OSIRIS  
Or, a young and foolish Time Lord like me. You see, I inhabited the body a dying young woman – Clara – and another Time Lord – The Master – inhabited my old one. And then he took off with it. Wait… she took off with it. (pause) I’ve heard she goes by “Missy” now. What is Missy now was once Osiris. Me.

THE DOCTOR  
And Clara? What did you do with her?

OSIRIS  
Well, I didn’t forget her, like somebody else did!

The Doctor looks visibly wounded by the remark. Osiris backpedals immediately.

OSIRIS  
Okay, that was uncalled for. Sorry. (pause) We were separated at Trenzalore, when Clara jumped into your timestream. From there to that London street where she died, I was in a coma; but one in which I experienced everything that she did. I actually thought I was Clara, living her life, when in reality I was bearing witness to it. I found out more recently your memories of Clara were… damaged.

RIGSY  
I’m still having trouble with this… inhabitation, is it?

SAMANTHA  
Here’s a motorcycle analogy that might help. The motorcycle is the body of the person – Clara, in this case – and the rider is the soul, the personality. Also Clara. The motorcycle hits a bump and crashes, and Osiris, here, comes along. She helps Clara up, but quietly gets on the back without Clara knowing about it. They ride along together, until another bump in the road at Trenzalore. That’s where Osiris gets thrown off, and into that coma she mentioned.

THE DOCTOR  
The Master usually inhabits someone by throwing the other rider off. Why not you?

OSIRIS  
That’s how I understood it worked. But then I was knocked out and chameleon arched. My Time Lord essence was stored in my fob watch for about seven years. Then I gave it away, unaware of its importance

THE DOCTOR  
Because you thought you were Clara then.

OSIRIS  
Yes. Then the fob watch mysteriously returned a year later, just a week before your first visit to Trenzalore with Clara.

THE DOCTOR  
I think I would’ve remembered discussion about a fob watch.

OSIRIS  
Clara was too busy trying to save your life. The conference call? Trenzalore? The TARDIS tomb? The Great Intelligence corrupting your time stream? Clara jumping into your time stream?

THE DOCTOR  
She did all that?

OSIRIS  
That’s why you’re still here!

RIGSY  
The TARDIS!

THE DOCTOR  
Yes. About my TARDIS. Seems I’ll have to go looking for it… again!

SAMANTHA  
Not to worry. I can track your TARDIS from here.

THE DOCTOR  
Let me guess: the nanochip? But Rigsy’s sranding right here.

SAMANTHA  
Not that nanohip. The one we planted in your TARDIS when we were messing with your dreams.

THE DOCTOR  
That was you guys, all along?

OSIRIS  
Yeah. Thought we’d get a head start on soliciting your help.

THE DOCTOR  
Help? On what?

SAMANTHA  
Ripping open a tiny black hole, and releasing what’s inside.

The Doctor and Rigsy look at each other as if experiencing deja vue.

THE DOCTOR  
That wouldn’t happen to be the very same black hole double-parked very close to Xalgerius and Taraxolotus, would it?

OSIRIS  
The one and only!

THE DOCTOR  
But why this particular black hole? What is this one so important to you?

OSIRIS  
I think you already know the reason why.

THE DOCTOR  
Souls.

OSIRIS  
Yes, souls. One especially.

THE DOCTOR  
Clara.

OSIRIS  
Clara, yes, and many, many others.

THE DOCTOR  
How many others?

OSIRIS  
Trillions, maybe?

Osiris, The Doctor and Rigsy ponder the scale of the problem, interrupted by Samantha.

SAMANTHA  
Skipper. I’ve got a lock on The Doctor’s TARDIS. Really close.

OSIRIS  
Alright, then, Doctor. Say the magic words.

THE DOCTOR  
What magic words?

The other three look at him like he’s kidding. He isn’t.

RIGSY (sotto voce)  
There’s three of them. Usually hear them in a movie chase scene.

THE DOCTOR  
Oh.

Then the light goes on.

THE DOCTOR  
Follow that TARDIS!

Samantha activates the time rotor handbrake, but Tessie surprises everyone by suddenly stopping.

SAMANTHA  
Oh.

OSIRIS  
Oh? (looks at scanner screen) O-oh!

Samantha, puzzled, looks at Osiris. Osiris looks at Samantha. Neither of them has seen this before. The Doctor and Rigsy look on, equally puzzled.

THE DOCTOR  
O-oh?

OSIRIS  
Em… it would seem your TARDIS thought the safest place to hide would be… inside another TARDIS. This TARDIS.

THE DOCTOR  
(points at floor) Here? How far away?

OSIRIS  
About a hundred metres. (points down a corridor to her left) The AR simulator.

THE DOCTOR  
Let me guess: it’s in a cave?

OSIRIS  
Aw, you remember!

The Doctor grunts, starts down the stairs to the corridor.

THE DOCTOR  
C’mon, Rigsy. Let’s get Sexy back!

 

DISSOLVE TO:  
47 – EXT. TESSIE & THE BLACK HOLE – DAY

Tessie – still in the form of a port-a-potty – floats a safe distance from the tiny black hole.

 

DISSOLVE TO:  
48 - INT. TESSIE (UNDER TIME ROTOR) - DAY

Osiris and Samantha are under Tessie’s time rotor, looking at a TARDIS manual, when they hear The Doctor’s TARDIS materialize. They climb the steps (camera following) and arrive just as The Doctor and Rigsy emerge. The Doctor presents his sonic screwdriver.

THE DOCTOR  
Not letting this outta my sight again!

Relaxed, The Doctor visually scans Tessie’s interior. He seems somewhat unimpressed. Osiris walks around the centre console like a proud parent at their kid’s recital. She sees Rigsy, who looks a little lost.

OSIRIS  
My apologies, Rigsy. I tell you that I’m not who you think I am, and I don’t bother to properly introduce myself. (reaches out with hand) Osiris. And this is my fellow traveller, Samantha.

THE DOCTOR  
(points to Samantha) Also known as Professor Kane of SETI, or is that a cover?

SAMANTHA  
No cover!

RIGSY  
You’ve met?

SAMANTHA  
Indeed we have, Rigsy!

Samantha surprises Rigsy – well everyone – with a friendly hug.

SAMANTHA  
And as I told you, Doctor, you’re not the only alien game in town.

OSIRIS  
And this alien has a pretty cool time ship. Her name is Tessie, by the way.

THE DOCTOR  
Short for ‘tesseract’, yes? (to Rigsy) A tesseract is a wrinkle, or a tear, in the fabric of space-time, that allows one to journey from one point to any other. It is the classic, if clumsy, way to time travel.

OSIRIS  
Clumsy, he means, without a TARDIS.

Osiris walk over to the centre console, flips a switch. A three-dimensional screen appears, showing an object slowly rotating on its axis that looks like a long horn. She points to it.

OSIRIS  
Doctor, it’s time to know if you’ll help us in busting this soul-stealing black hole. Us, and the many lost souls trapped inside.

The Doctor walks up to the image for a closer look.

THE DOCTOR  
It’s too bad we can’t see more detail.

SAMANTHA  
We could false-colour the… oh, what am I saying? Space has no colour! Nevermind.

OSIRIS  
That doesn’t mean you can’t assign a specific colour to represent ‘space’. Besides, most people believe space is black anyway. Why break the illusion?

RIGSY  
It isn’t? Black, that is?

THE DOCTOR  
Not really. That’s why it’s hard to show in three dimensions.

OSIRIS  
Nope, but now we’ll give it a colour! First, we’ll default to black – for ‘lack of colour’

Samantha flips some switches and

SAMANTHA  
– and then we’ll inverting the black to ‘every colour’. Let’s see what we get.

What they do get causes mouths to drop, including a certain grumpy Time Lord.

Fx: the image inverts to represent every colour imaginable, and some that aren’t. What looked before like a dark funnel into nothing is now a sparkling, brassy explosion of light.

THE DOCTOR  
Sound.

OSIRIS  
Right.

Osiris opens the radiation scanners to pick up emissions from the black hole. Suddenly, there is a blast of noise.

OSIRIS  
Filters, dammit! Filters! (adjusts filters) Sorry about that.

The ‘noise’ is reduced until distinguishable voices can be heard. Voices of people trapped, pleading for help. Osiris looks at the image in front of her with wide-eyed wonder.

OSIRIS  
The colour of a trillion souls. (long pause) They deserve to be free.

SAMANTHAR  
I know you wanna help, Skipper, but… how do we do it?

OSIRIS  
If they can send a message without it being torn asunder by the gravitational forces inside that black hole, perhaps they can receive one, too. There should be a way. There has to be.

SAMANTHA  
But how?

Osiris’s expression: desperate, searching for answers. Then, The Doctor has an epiphany which makes everyone turn.

THE DOCTOR  
Music! Variations in sound waves can cause enough interference to destabilise the gravitational waves at the event horizon.

OSIRIS  
Organized variations through music! Of course!

SAMANTHA  
Great plan, Time Lords of Gallifrey. There’s just one, tiny hitch.

THE DOCTOR  
And what’s that?

SAMANTHA  
Space is an airless vacuum last time I checked.

THE DOCTOR  
We don’t use actual sound. We translate it into another form – specifically, neutrino-rich gravitational waves of our own creation – to disrupt the surface of the event horizon. Where they intersect at right angles, we’ll be able to reverse

SAMANTHA  
Reverse the polarity of the neutron flow! Oh, that is clever, Doctor! High five!  
The Doctor’s high-fives are, shall we say, comical.

RIGSY  
I’m going to guess then that choice of music is important?

THE DOCTOR  
Yes, we need a piece of music that is universally known.

RIGSY  
Like Beethoven’s fifth?

The Doctor turns to his companion, impressed.

THE DOCTOR  
The painter has great taste in music! I think I might keep you.

OSIRIS  
I’m glad your bromance is getting stronger, fellas, but for this music solution to work, the waves will have to come from both within and without.

THE DOCTOR  
Meaning?

OSIRIS  
Beethoven’s Ninth, 4th Movement. If the souls in there can ‘hear’ us play the music, they can sing it – or at least think the lyrics, which might be even more powerful.

THE DOCTOR  
I see where you’re going. We pull with our TARDISES from the outside, and the trillions entrapped sing, or think, the lyrics, kicking out from within.

SAMANTHA  
“Gotta kick at the darkness ‘til it bleeds dayli-ight.” 

The others turn to the maverick in their midst.

SAMANTHA  
My… take on the Ode To Joy. What?

THE DOCTOR  
Why the Ninth, Osiris?

OSIRIS  
The lyrics have been translated into more languages than Shakespeare. I know the music better. And, I remember you taught Clara the German lyrics. Clara the teacher? She was humming it in her head they day she died.

THE DOCTOR  
And she can lead a trillion souls to freedom.

OSIRIS  
It’s worth a shot.

THE DOCTOR  
Yes, yes it is. I play guitar. Electric guitar. What do you play?

OSIRIS  
Organ.

Osiris taps a wall panel, which opens up to reveal a huge, 1960s-vintage Lowry organ. More proud parent. This time, even The  
Doctor is impressed!

THE DOCTOR  
Alright, then. Let’s get this band together!

 

DISSOLVE TO:  
49 – INT. TARDIS – DAY

Guitar and multiple Magpie amplifiers are plugged into THE TARDIS’ central console. Fibre-optic-looking cables sprawled over the floor like neon spaghetti. The Doctor and Rigsy with heads buried in equipment, connecting leads.

OSIRIS  
Think we’re ready this time?

THE DOCTOR  
Yeah, I think so. I’m still trying to figure out what happened last time. It doesn’t make any sense why we had that horrible blast of feedback.

RIGSY  
Does this look right to you? Just a hunch, but I think it’s upside-down.

Rigsy holds up one of the sound-neutrino converters.

THE DOCTOR  
Hold on, Team Tessie! It’s apparently Australia Day at the TARDIS Music Festival!

SAMANTHA – O/C  
Is that good news

 

CUT TO:  
50 – INT. TESSIE – DAY

SAMANTHA  
or bad?

THE DOCTOR – O/C  
Hold on! Re-plugging converter interface now…

 

CUT TO:  
51 – INT. TARDIS – DAY

THE DOCTOR  
almost there… yeah, that looks about right. Good eyes, Rigsy!

OSIRIS – O/C  
Ready when you are, Doctor.

THE DOCTOR  
Right, then. Once more, from Bar 524. Rigsy?

Rigsy flips a switch that seems to make the whole TARDIS come alive with vibration.

THE DOCTOR  
Laaaa, sag-ne. (pause)

 

CUT TO:  
52 – INT. TESSIE – DAY

Osiris and Samantha listen intently as The Doctor counts them in with three power chords. They join in, and the rest, they  
say, is symphonic history.

 

CUT TO:  
53 – INT. TARDIS – DAY

Camera-wise: sequence starts with close-up on the guitar; wide-shot of The Doctor and Rigsy in the TARDIS console room; then close-up on The Doctor.

THE DOCTOR (singing)  
Freu-de, scho-ner Got-ter fun-ken, Toch-ter aus, Ely-sium  
wir bit-tre-ten, feu-er trun-ken, Himm-li-sche, dein lig-tum!

 

CUT TO:  
54 – EXT. TESSIE – DAY

Tessie (straining sounds) pulls on side of the black hole, which is spinning slowly in the background.

THE DOCTOR – O/C (singing)  
Dei-ne Zau-ber, bin-den__ wei-der,

 

CUT TO:  
55 – INT. TESSIE – DAY

Shot sequence: wide-shot of Tessie’s console room; close-up of Osiris working her magic on the organ; Samantha monitoring the 3D screen for signs of the black hole decaying.

THE DOCTOR – O/C (singing)  
Was-dei__ Mo-de streng ge-teilt;  
Al-le Mein-schen wen-der Bru-der, wo dein sanf-ter Flu-gelt weilt.

 

CUT TO:  
56 – EXT. TARDIS – DAY

On the other side of the black hole, the TARDIS pulls at the black hole in the opposite direction.

THE DOCTOR (singing)  
Dei-ne Zau-ber,

 

CUT TO:  
57 – INT. TARDIS – DAY

Shot sequence: close-up on The Doctor; wide-shot to include Rigsy.

THE DOCTOR (singing)  
bin-den__ wei-der, Was-dei__ Mo-de streng ge-teilt;

 

CUT TO:  
58 – INT. TESSIE – DAY

Shot sequence: close-up on 3D screen; close-up on Osiris; then close-up on Samantha’s concerned look. Scanner (close-up) reads: "INSUFFICIENT INVERSE GRAVITATIONAL FORCE"

THE DOCTOR – O/C (singing)  
Al-le Mein-schen wen-der Bru-der, wo dein sanf-ter Flu-gelt weilt.

 

DISSOLVE TO:  
59 – EXT. TESSIE – NIGHT

The black hole is still intact behind Tessie.

 

CUT TO:  
60 – INT. TESSIE – NIGHT

The Doctor, Osiris, Rigsy and Samantha are watching the black hole’s brilliant, false-colour light display. The Doctor is examining the fob watch. He notices the design of a snake eating its tail on the back, compares it with own. Arms crossed like Clara, Osiris goes for a walk around the console room. She looks dejected.

SAMANTHA  
You did all you could.

OSIRIS  
Maybe so, but it doesn’t make it any easier to walk away. I feel like I’ve let them all down. Let her down.

RIGSY

Clara?  
Osiris nods. She keeps pacing the room.

THE DOCTOR  
Pardon me asking, Osiris, but… who are you, really

RIGSY  
Doctor, not now

OSIRIS  
It’s alright, Rigsy. He deserves an answer. (pause) On Gallifrey, I was born Osiris Ouroboros Oswin  
Something about Osiris’ middle name sparks The Doctor’s attention. He looks at the back of the fob watch again.

SAMANTHA  
(scoffs) Jerky middle name.

OSIRIS  
Says she without one.

THE DOCTOR  
That’s nice. Do go on.

OSIRIS  
Time Lord, graduate of the Pendragon Academy, TARDIS flight instructor; age four hundred thirteen.

THE DOCTOR  
Regeneration?

OSIRIS  
Last.

THE DOCTOR  
Kinda young for a last regeneration.

OSIRIS  
Young and stupid at times. Lived fast; made a few bad decisions along the way. Well, more than a few.

THE DOCTOR  
Fascinating.

OSIRIS  
Meanwhile, my pilot’s license on Earth says I am Clara Elisabeth Oswald, owner of Oswald flight Charters; age thirty-nine. Sammy here calls me Skipper, when she isn’t mad at me, or worried about me. Then she calls me Oswin.

RIGSY  
Do you ever forget which you you’re supposed to be?

OSIRIS  
Surprisingly, no. The name I most enjoy being called, though, is “Mum”.

THE DOCTOR  
Mum?

Osiris takes a photo from her coat and gives it to The Doctor. It’s a boy, (close-up) seated with Osiris in front of a large sand castle representation of structures found on the Ood Sphere.

OSIRIS  
His name is Zack. Zachary Leonard Oswald.

THE DOCTOR  
How old?

OSIRIS  
He’ll be nine soon. That was taken almost a year ago.

THE DOCTOR  
Did he make the sand castle himself?

OSIRIS  
He had help in the building, but the design was all his, modeled on one of the great Ood structures.

THE DOCTOR  
Yes, I’ve seen it.

OSIRIS  
I thought he’d want to be an architect, or an engineer, but no, he wanted to join the Academy. Become a Time Lord, just like his Mum and Dad.

THE DOCTOR  
His dad? Where is he?

OSIRIS  
(pause) I’m looking right at him.

THE DOCTOR  
Oh. (penny drops) Sorry, what? (looks around, disbelieving)

RIGSY  
Seriously?

The Doctor mouths “What?” several times, still disbelieving.

SAMANTHA (laughing)  
He’s speechless!

Osiris and Rigsy start to laugh.

THE DOCTOR (sotto voce)  
What?

Seconds later, they all become aware of movement on the 3D screen. The black hole is slowly, but surely, coming apart. Matter and light spewing out at various speeds. Osiris re-opens the scanners. Then they hear it. Voices. Voices in united in song.

THE FREE (singing)  
Freu-de, scho-ner Got-ter fun-ken, Toch-ter aus, Ely-sium  
wir bit-tre-ten, feu-er trun-ken, Himm-li-sche, dein lig-tum!  
Dei-ne Zau-ber, bin-den__ wei-der, Was-dei__ Mo-de streng ge-teilt;  
Al-le Mein-schen wen-der Bru-der, wo dein sanf-ter Flu-gelt weilt.

The four start to high-five and hug. Smiles and tears all around. Listening to the beautiful melody of a trillion free voices, The Doctor has another look at the mystery fob watch with its captive occupant. Suddenly, it is a mystery no more. Ouroboros: the snake that eats its tail; an infinite circle of life and death. He looks at Osiris — she who some mistake for his Clara. Is that really what she would look like now? He puts the watch in his coat pocket.

Meanwhile,

 

CUT TO:  
61 – TARAXOLOTUS – NIGHT

The Taraxolytes have joined The Free in song, singing in their own, ancient language, the Ode To Joy.

Fx: camera tilts up to a glittering night sky.

 

DISSOLVE TO:  
CAPTION: TO BE CONTINUED

 

DISSOLVE TO:  
CLOSING TITLES

 

EPILOGUE

 

62 – EXT. MAITLAND HOUSE, CHISWICK – TWILIGHT

A hooded figure leans against a garage in Chiswick, waiting.

Fx: the TARDIS materializes. A moment later, the Maitland children get out and head inside the nearby house.

CAPTION: 3 APRIL, 2013

(from: Nightmare In Silver)

ANGIE  
Bye. Thanks, Clara.

ARTIE  
Thanks, Clara’s boyfriend.

Another moment passes, and Clara steps out, walking back to the house.

CLARA  
See you next Wednesday.

ELEVENTH DOCTOR – O/C  
Well, a Wednesday, definitely. Next Wednesday, last Wednesday...

Fx: moments later, the TARDIS dematerializes. Camera follows as the hooded figure turns to walk away.

 

CUT TO:  
63 - CLARA’S ROOM – TWILIGHT

Clara kicks off her shoes and unzips her jacket as she enters her room. She takes the jacket off and lays it on the bed. Something on the dresser catches her eye. A fob watch, next to a photo of Ellie and David Oswald.

CLARA  
How did it get here?

Clara was found wandering aimlessly about – watch clutched tightly in hand – after the car crash that killed her mother, and which nearly killed her. Jammed shut these past eight years, she can’t remember how she came upon it. She has no recollection of anything that happened in the hours before or after the crash. She later bartered the watch to fix her laptop, thought she'd seen the last of a painful reminder of her late mother.

But how did get here, again? She picks it up and (close-up) examines both sides. That’s when she really sees it. Until now, the intricate pattern of circles on one side of the casing, and the scrolling knots encircled by a snake eating its tail on the other, were just an interesting design. But now, she suddenly understands their true significance.

CLARA (sotto voce)  
Time-space coordinates. Of course!

Clara races to her window, shoves it open.

 

CUT TO:  
64 – EXT. MAITLAND HOUSE, CHISWICK – TWILIGHT

CLARA  
Doctor?

But there is no TARDIS in sight.

 

CUT TO:  
65 – CLARA’S ROOM – TWILIGHT

CLARA  
Dammit!

Clara turns her attention back to the fob watch, examines the casing (close-up) more carefully now.

CLARA  
Question: is a Time Lord’s watch bigger on the inside? (chuckles) Let’s find out!

She pushes down hard on the latch button with her thumb, but to no avail. Still jammed. Two thumbs prove equally unsuccessful. That’s when Clara hears the message, in her own voice, coming as if from within the watch. She brings it close to her ear.

CLARA (?) – V/O  
"The secret lies within. I'm trapped. I'm kept inside the cogs."

She tosses it onto her jacket, stares at it while biting her thumb nail.

CLARA  
Goddamn! Time for a cuppa tea!

Clara starts down the stairs but stops after a couple of steps, looks back. For a moment, she stands there and thinks. Then she slowly returns to her bedside. She reaches for the watch, and it springs open. She sees the face for a second before

Fx: it is consumed by a brilliant golden light, as bright as the sun. On Clara: confusion, amazement, as she hears, in her own voice, the name Osiris Ouroboros Oswin.

FADE OUT


	3. Script 9B3: The Impossible Child

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Previously: In 'Til Darkness Bleeds Daylight, The Doctor and Rigsy travel to an ancient tree-city planet, Taraxolotus, where there is said to be a secret gateway to other universes - a secret others will kill for, and have. They once again encounter fellow time travelers Osiris and Samantha, and together they break open a tiny black hole with a secret of its own. Osiris reveals still more secrets that connect The Doctor to her and Clara Oswald - a friend he barely remembers.
> 
> In "The Impossible Child", Osiris introduces The Doctor to Zachary - a boy whose existence is owed to a previous incarnation of The Doctor's misfired humour. The now five time travelers meet Clara - sort of Clara - who makes a special request regarding her part in a time-locked series of events. Pursuit of Clara's request has the five breaking into things, interacting with the dead, and saving Humanity from a childless future. Their path leads to another favour involving the one being who may know the location of, and how to access, that mysterious gateway to multiple universes - the Sigma Gate. And then an innocent game of pursuit turns serious...

Doctor Who  
Fanfiction Story

“The Impossible Child”  
by  
Scott Van Denham

20/05/2017

© Scott Van Denham 2017

 

01 – ARCADIA, GALLIFREY – NIGHT

Overhead shot of Arcadia – circling, descending through tall structures to a large public square. People in red and gold moving about. A small building ahead. Shot then creeps up at eye level until the doorway fills half the shot. Ornate, rounded-top double doors with Gallifreyan circle graphs above them. Futuristic design and yet the feeling of being ancient.  
Fx: the sound of the TARDIS (O/C) materializing nearby.

 

CUT TO:  
02 – EXT. TARDIS

The door quickly opens and the Eighth Doctor steps out. Well dressed, in ruffled shirt and velvet frock, but looking a little disheveled. He straightens his attire. Shot reverses to follow as he heads for the doors.

CAPTION: PENDRAGON ACADEMY OFFICERS’ CLUB

He pushes them open as if to make an entrance. A few steps inside, he slows as he reaches a railing overlooking a crowded, noisy room. Most occupants are dressed in uniforms.

CUT TO:  
03 – INT. PENDRAGON ACADEMY OFFICERS’ CLUB – NIGHT

EIGHTH DOCTOR  
Defenders of Gallifrey!

CAPTION: EARLY IN THE TIME WAR

Discussion below stops. People at the tables below look up. The Eighth Doctor walks down the stairs.

EIGHTH DOCTOR  
I have an announcement!

OFFICER 1  
The war is over, Doctor?

A few derisive laughs.

OFFICER 2  
What? You’ve talked the Daleks to death?

More laughter.

EIGHTH DOCTOR  
If only I could find their funny bone, I bet I could!

A few quite snorts and guffaws, but they are not impressed. Close on The Doctor.

EIGHTH DOCTOR  
Ooh, tough crowd.

OFFICER 2  
You’d know just how tough we are if you were alongside us, making an actual contribution to the war effort.

He slowly walks around one end of the room. All eyes on him.

EIGHTH DOCTOR  
How do you know I haven’t?

OFFICER 2  
That’s easy: we’d be winning.

More derisive laughter. The Doctor elevates himself, one foot on an unoccupied stool, another on the table next to it, knocking over someone’s drink.

EIGHTH DOCTOR (to now drink-less officer)  
Don’t worry. I’ll buy the next one. (to the room) In fact, I’ll buy everyone a round if you’ll hear me out.

The others sit, waiting.

EIGHTH DOCTOR  
I have made a contribution, to the war effort, a very important contribution.

OFFICER 1  
More than your usual sarcasm, Doctor? That would be something!

OFFICER 3  
We’re all ears, Doctor.

EIGHTH DOCTOR  
I have it, uh, right here.

The Doctor reaches into the front of his pants. The others start to look at each other uncomfortably. Whispers of “What is he doing?” go around the crowded room. He appears to be struggling with something under the sash at his waist.

EIGHTH DOCTOR  
What I have here will make the war, if not shorter, lighter to bear. Now, if only…

Finally, success as he produces what looks like a long dark metal vile with a stopper. He holds it out proudly.

EIGHTH DOCTOR  
Ah, ha!

OFFICER 3  
So what’s in that vile? A secret weapon?

EIGHTH DOCTOR  
You could say that.

OFFICER 2  
An invisibility potion?

EIGHTH DOCTOR  
No, but that’s a brilliant idea!

He holds the vile high above his head.

EIGHTH DOCTOR  
This… is me!

Puzzled looks around the room.

EIGHTH DOCTOR  
Lots and lots of me. More of me than you could possibly count.

OFFICER 1  
You’re drunk, aren’t you?

EIGHTH DOCTOR  
No, that would make it harder for me to perform, to produce, all this. The Porter in MacBeth said something about that – how drink provokes desire but takes away the performance. Wonderful chap. Bit of a downer when he was sober, though.

OFFICER 1  
The Porter?

EIGHTH DOCTOR  
Shakespeare!

He does a 360° on top of the table, holding out the vile.

EIGHTH DOCTOR  
These, my little selves, I offer to the service of Gallifrey. May they find a happy home in the wombs of war!

The others have heard enough. They start to get up and approach The Doctor. They don’t seem impressed.

EIGHTH DOCTOR  
If you want to turn these into soldiers, I resign myself to your will. But as I have said, many times, “I’ll help where I can, I will not fight.” *

OFFICER 3  
Then get out of our club!

EIGHTH DOCTOR  
But I haven’t bought you drinks yet!

The soldiers lunge towards him as (low-angle shot) he jumps down from the table.

EIGHTH DOCTOR  
Whuuuuagh!

 

CUT TO:  
04 – EXT. TESSIE

OSIRIS  
Whuuuuagh!

Falling, Osiris grabs a hold of Tessie’s doorway ledge. She watches helplessly, more surprised than afraid, as (opposing angle) a white booklet floats away into deep space. She watches the booklet for a couple of seconds before Samantha enters view at TESSIE’s door. She helps Osiris to her feet.

SAMANTHA  
Y’okay, Skipper?

 

CUT TO:  
05 – EXT. TWO TARDISES

Two TARDISES, parked side-by-side in space, back-dropped by a brilliant nebula. About a three-metre gap between The Doctor’s familiar TARDIS, and Tessie in its undisguised state.

OSIRIS  
Yeah. (sighs) Remind me to check

 

CUT TO:  
06 – EXT. TESSIE

OSIRIS  
The Doctor’s library for spare Type 40 manuals, ‘kay?

Meanwhile,

 

CUT TO:  
07 – INT. TARDIS

The Doctor is in his recliner, reading the back of a Beethoven album. Rigsy is on the phone. Both have their backs turned to the open door as Samantha uses a long pole to pull the two time machines closer together. They quietly step across.

RIGSY  
And there’s a nebula right outside, a really nice one. (pause) No! Not a girl in cosplay. An actual, real nebula. Y’know, stars and all? Look, Jen, how about I send you a pic… Jen? Jen?

The Doctor smiles, raises his eyebrows as Rigsy puts the phone away. Someone’s in trouble! Meanwhile, Osiris quietly walks right up to the Doctor from behind.

OSIRIS  
So.

The Doctor jumps. He turns to her.

OSIRIS  
You wanted to ask me something.

THE DOCTOR  
Yes. How is it that I’m Zachary’s dad, when I don’t remember… wait. Does this have something to do with what I don’t remember about Clara?

OSIRIS  
Not really.

She starts to pace around the console.

OSIRIS  
A few regenerations ago, in the early days of the Time War, legend has it you showed up at a Gallifreyan watering hole, bought every soldier in the room several rounds of drinks, then climbed onto a table and declared that you had made a significant contribution to the war effort.

THE DOCTOR  
I did?

OSIRIS  
You did. Turns out, a rather cynical contribution. At least that’s how the soldiers interpreted it.

THE DOCTOR  
Um, right. I think I’m starting to remember getting chased from said watering hole,

RIGSY  
What did he say?

THE DOCTOR  
back to my TARDIS.

RIGSY  
What did he say?

SAMANTHA  
Wait for it!

THE DOCTOR  
Let’s forget I asked that question. Anyone fancy a trip to Ancient Mars?

OSIRIS  
Not so fast, Doctor! (big smile on her face) What did our favourite Time Lord contribute? Why, only a rather – and these are his words – abundant

THE DOCTOR  
Augh, no!

OSIRIS  
Abundant deposit to a sperm bank in Arcadia.

Osiris smiles as The Doctor looks about, as if for a place to hide. Snorks and giggles from the other two.

SAMANTHA (to Rigsy)  
Gallifrey’s second city.

OSIRIS  
“In honour”, he claimed “of the widows of Gallfrey.”

THE DOCTOR  
(sighs) In all these years, I tried to remember it as a bad dream!

SAMANTHA  
No one questioned you on it?

THE DOCTOR  
No. I regenerated into The Warrior a short time later. That, and I thought all those soldiers were drunk, so it became more of a Gallifreyan urban legend than something people chose to believe. (turns to Osiris) Or so I thought. How did you?

OSIRIS  
The Master. He, I’m sure, researched the authenticity of the story to use against you at some point.

THE DOCTOR  
And you learned it from him?

OSIRIS  
Yep. (pause) After I awoke from my coma, realizing I really wasn’t Clara after all, I went looking for my family. (long pause) But they were gone. All of ‘em.

THE DOCTOR  
The Time War.

Osiris nods.

OSIRIS  
(takes long breath) I was alone, full of desperate thoughts. One day, I was reading about your activities in the Time War, and I read that you’d lost your family, too. That’s when I remembered The Master recounting your (does air quotes) ‘donation’. I had this crazy idea: we could keep both our family bloodlines going if I… well

THE DOCTOR  
Right. Where is he now? Zachary, I mean.

OSIRIS  
A boarding school, near Cambridge. He sometimes also stays with a family when he’s not with us. You might remember them. The Salyavins?

THE DOCTOR  
Yes! I haven’t seen them in ages! (pause) Oh, that’s clever! That’s why he stays with them. You’ve been waiting for me to go see them, and I’d meet him there.

OSIRIS  
And Zack would call me to let me know you were there, and then we’d finally meet.

Osiris’ phone starts to ring.

THE DOCTOR  
What happened?

SAMANTHA  
Skipper, your phone.

OSIRIS  
Events. Got impatient. (takes phone from pants pocket) He-llo? Yes, speaking.

Osiris looks increasingly concerned as the voice at the other end talks.

OSIRIS  
He? He what?

SAMANTHA  
What is it?

OSIRIS  
I’ll be right there. (turns to Samantha) Tessie, now! Pre-set co-ordinates for the school.

Osiris turns to leave, but Samantha grabs her arm.

SAMANTHA  
Osiris, what is it?

Camera on Samantha and Osiris, slowly zooming into Osiris.

OSIRIS  
It’s the school.

On The Doctor, Rigsy next to him. Then back on Osiris close-up.

OSIRIS (turns to The Doctor)  
Someone’s found Zack unconscious, unresponsive. They think he… they think he’s dead!

 

CUT TO:  
OPENING TITLES

 

FADE TO:  
08 – EXT. BOARDING SCHOOL – DAY

Wide shot of a typical brick-faced boarding school, 19th to 20th Century, with a more modern sign in front, reading:  
Masterson Frontier Academy  
Est. 31st March, 1973.  
O/C: the sound of TARDIS materialization. Two of them!

 

CUT TO:  
09 – EXT. SCHOOL ADMIN. BUILDING – DAY

FX: first Tessie, as a yellow commercial-chassis school bus, then The Doctor’s TARDIS, materialize side-by-side. OsirIs runs out, passing The Doctor’s TARDIS without looking. Samantha exits, waits as The Doctor and Rigsy get out. She points in the direction Osiris ran.

SAMANTHA  
This way.

 

CUT TO:  
10 – INT. BOARDING SCHOOL – DAY

Samantha and the others stop at the school’s administration office.

SAMANTHA  
We’re with Miss Oswald. She got a phone call about her son?

SCHOOL ADMIN. STAFFER  
They’re in the infirmary.

The staffer points around a corner. Samantha and Team TARDIS run off, oblivious to the staffer as she hurriedly grabs three pass keys and runs after them.

SCHOOL ADMIN. STAFFER  
Wait! You need these!

 

CUT TO:  
11 – INT. SCHOOL INFIRMARY – DAY

OSIRIS – O/C  
ZACK? ZACK?!

The staffer runs (following shot) into the infirmary, catches up with the four time travelers and a teacher. Zack lies motionless on a bed in the middle of the room. Osiris and the school nurse are looking Zach over.

OSIRIS  
(turns to nurse) How long has he been like this?

NURSE  
I-I don’t know.

OSIRIS  
Whatdyoumeanyoudon’tknow?!

SAMANTHA  
Osiris, she’s trying

OSIRIS  
Zack!

NURSE  
I– they found him like this about ten minutes ago.

OSIRIS  
Found him? Where?

NURSE  
At the assembly. The year-end assembly.

OSIRIS  
Wait. (looks at Zack, then nurse) Year-end assembly?

SAMANTHA  
Oops.

THE DOCTOR  
Not good?

SAMANTHA  
We forgot.

THE DOCTOR  
Forgot? What?

OSIRIS  
I forgot,

SAMANTHA  
Zack.

OSIRIS  
again, dammit!

Osiris leans over her son, ear down to his mouth. She takes her sonic out of a coat pocket, cranks it a couple of times and presses it into Zack’s ear. The nurse looks noticeably alarmed. The instant she turns it on, Zachary Oswald bolts upright. He looks around, turns to see his mum, crying. They throw their arms around each other.

TEACHER  
It’s a- it’s a miracle!

SAMANTHA  
No, just a boy who’s learned a clever trick.

She pushes him off.

ZACK  
Why, Mum! How very nice to see

OSIRIS  
Knock it off, young man!

ZACK  
But I was just

OSIRIS  
Yes, you were just?

ZACK  
I was… medi-

OSIRIS  
Meditating? On what?

ZACK  
On… (mumbles) an early end to the assembly?

NURSE  
Well, he most certainly accomplished that!

THE DOCTOR  
How?

NURSE  
He falls out of his chair, I’m told, unconscious, and into the lap of Miss Emily Ford, one of the Year Sevens. Unresponsive he is, so she gives him mouth-to-mouth. No response. He didn’t appear physically hurt, so they bring him here. I was about to give him a shot of adrenalin when you

OSIRIS  
Care to let the rest of the school in on your trick? It’s not a request, by the way.

ZACK  
But

OSIRIS  
You owe the entire school an apology, Zachary Oswald!

ZACK  
But Mum!

OSIRIS  
But no!

Osiris motions to the floor, and Zack jumps down from the bed.

OSIRIS  
No ifs, buts, maybes or exceptions, young man: apology, school intercom – go!

ZACK  
Do I have to? Can’t we just send them an email?

OSIRIS  
No! You just made everyone think you were dead! You frightened people! What about that girl,

ZACK  
Emily?

OSIRIS  
Emily, yeah. What about her?

ZACK  
(sighs) First time she’s noticed me all year.

They exchange a smile as she plays with his ginger-brown hair. He looks at her pleadingly, hoping she’ll change her mind. She points to the door.

OSIRIS  
That would be now!

Zack gives his mum the saddest look possible, but he dutifully shuffles to the door.

OSIRIS  
Thank you.

As he shuffles, Zack has a moment of eye-contact (close-ups) with The Doctor. He darts a look at his mum. She points again to the door, and he shuffles out. Samantha pulls The Doctor aside.

SAMANTHA  
Fair warning, Doctor: your son.

THE DOCTOR  
Yes. What about him?

SAMANTHA  
He may seem a bit rash or aloof, but… he really has a heart of gold. And (pause) some of the things he says, questions he asks… they can take your breath away.

THE DOCTOR  
If he is really my son, I’m sure I can handle him.

SAMANTHA  
Whatever you say.

Samantha rolls her eyes. He has no idea!

ZACK (intercom)  
Hi. It’s me… Zack Oswald. I’m alive, still. I, um… I apologize for that. Well, for scaring everyone into thinking that I wasn’t… I guess.

OSIRIS (to The Doctor)  
Reminds me so much of someone I know. But, he’s still the little gentleman that I

ZACK (intercom)  
Oh, and Emily: It’s okay that your lips were dry.

 

CUT TO:  
12 – EXT. BOARDING SCHOOL – DAY

The Doctor, Rigsy and Samantha are standing in front of the TARDIS and Tessie the schoolbus. Osiris and Zack are talking as they catch up. There’s a small stuffed toy lion cub sticking part-way out of Zack’s backpack.

OSRIS  
You sure you have everything, now?

ZACK  
Yeah, think so.

OSIRIS  
Earth and Gallifrey aren’t exactly next-door neighbours.

ZACK  
Mum, I know!

OSIRIS  
Okay, then.

Osiris and Zack stop in front of Rigsy.

OSIRIS  
Zack, I would like you to meet Mr. Christopher Riggins. Muralist extraordinaire.

Rigsy is taken a little aback, looks both proud and a touch embarrassed at the compliment.

RIGSY  
(laughs) I’m quite happy with ‘Rigsy’.

ZACK  
If you like, sir. Nice to meet you.

They shake hands. Then she gestures to The Doctor.

OSIRIS  
And this, if you haven’t already guessed, Zack, is The Doctor.

ZACK  
How do you do, sir? It’s… a pleasure… a real pleasure to finally meet you!

THE DOCTOR  
Likewise, Zachary Oswald. Or do you prefer Zack?

ZACK  
Just Zack.

THE DOCTOR  
Alright, then, ‘Just Zack’.

Smiles all around. Zack shakes his father’s hand, studies the face for a moment, before, in a very serious voice

ZACK  
A silence walks into an empty bar. There’s a weeping angel behind the counter. The silence orders a drink and says, “Business must be good.” Then it turns away. Does the angel attack the silence, pour it a drink, or remember the compliment?

The Doctor is caught a little flat-footed by the question.

THE DOCTOR  
Uh…

A “told you so” throat-clearing from Samantha. The Doctor glares back for a second before

THE DOCTOR  
Well, Zack, uh, that… that would depend, on

ZACK  
Whether or not it’s a joke?

He wasn’t expecting that! Samantha taps his shoulder.

SAMANTHA  
You’ll get there.

THE DOCTOR  
I see. (pause) I thought you were asking for real. I’ve once had a soldier ask me that kind of question at

ZACK  
At the Academy, I know. You were asked – as The Warrior, you were asked – about interspecies conflict.

THE DOCTOR  
Yes. How did you?

ZACK  
Mum showed me. Transcripts from a lecture you gave the day Arcadia fell, right at the end of the Time War. You never got to answer the question.

THE DOCTOR  
And I’m still not sure I have an answer. It depends

ZACK  
On whether or not it’s a joke?

Zack beams with delight. Time Lord humour in action. The Doctor returns the smile.

THE DOCTOR  
Nice to meet you, son.

Father and son embrace. Osiris’ phone rings again.

OSIRIS  
Hello, Oswald Flight Charters? Yes, Captain. What have you heard?

Osiris paces nervously as the others watch.

SAMANTHA (to Doctor)  
Interstellar cargo run… maybe.

THE DOCTOR  
Military?

SAMANTHA  
Long time ago, yeah.

OSIRIS  
That’s too bad. We should meet again anyway to talk strategy.

SAMANTHA  
Think he likes the title ‘cause it makes him sound important. (whispers in close) Fragile ego.

OSIRIS  
Well, thank you for update, Captain. See you shortly, then. Bye.

Osiris looks up, notices her audience.

OSIRIS  
Gotta pay the boarding school bills somehow. Anyway, Doctor, Sammy and I were going to take my little lion cub here

ZACK  
Aw, Mum!

OSIRIS  
on a wee excursion before he enrolls at the Academy. Quick meet-up with a customer first, though.

THE DOCTOR  
Ex-military, but he still likes the title.

OSIRIS  
Fragile ego, yeah. Fancies Sammy.

SAMANTHA  
You, too, Skipper!

OSIRIS  
Fair warning for us both, then! Joining us, Doctor, Rigsy?

RIGSY  
How long?

OSIRIS  
Dunno. A day? Maybe two?

THE DOCTOR (to Rigsy)  
It’s been twelve hours Earth time, but don’t forget: I have a time machine.

RIGSY  
Running from aliens, meeting new people, seeing new worlds. (laughs) I’m already in trouble anyway. Might as well make being in Jen’s doghouse worthwhile. Let’s go!

THE DOCTOR  
What’s the meet-up point?

OSIRIS  
Why don’t you pop your TARDIS inside Tessie? She already knows the co-ordinates.

THE DOCTOR  
That sounds like hoboing. (pause) Why not?

The five hop into their respective time-space machines.  
Fx: the TARDIS’ dematerialize together.

 

CUT TO:  
13 – INT. TESSIE

Fx: The Doctor’s TARDIS materializes inside Tessie’s console room. Zack watches in amazement. Rigsy, then The Doctor step out, in conversation.

THE DOCTOR  
…but how would they get in?

RIGSY  
The TARDIS door was locked. I saw you lock it when we arrived.

OSIRIS  
Something wrong?

SAMANTHA  
Whatever it was, we didn’t do it.

THE DOCTOR  
I just haven’t figured out how they did it.

ZACK / OSIRIS / SAMANTHA  
Did what?

THE DOCTOR  
Someone wrote a message – the same message – all over both of my chalkboards.

OSIRIS  
What sort of message?

THE DOCTOR  
“Thank you”, written in dozens – no, hundreds – of languages.

ZACK  
Mum! I was just about to tell you

OSIRIS  
One moment, Zack.

ZACK  
No, Mum, it’s important

OSIRIS  
Zack, please, wait your turn. Is it possible, Doctor, kids from Zack’s school snuck in?

RIGSY  
That’s what we were discussing, but I remember him locking the TARDIS before we entered the school.

THE DOCTOR  
And it wouldn’t explain someone writing “thank you” in Atraxi, or Taraxolene, or 81st-Century hyper-English.

RIGSY  
Wait! Did you say Taraxolene, as in Taraxolotus?

THE DOCTOR  
Yes, I (pause) O-oh.

RIGSY  
We were just there!

OSIRIS  
And so was that soul-sucking black hole!

ZACK  
But Mum! They’ve been

OSIRIS  
Zachary! What have I said about interrupting?

ZACK  
Don’t, unless it’s life-and-death.

OSIRIS  
And is it?

ZACK  
I dunno, but it’s creepy.

OSIRIS  
But wait then- what do you mean "it’s creepy"?

ZACK  
My whiteboard: it says “I’m in The Doctor’s TARDIS. C”.

Zack motions everyone to follow him down a corridor.

 

CUT TO:  
14 – INT. ZACK’S BEDROOM

Tight-focused close-up on a Citadel snow globe in semi-darkness. A door slides open and the lights come on. Shot tilts up, refocuses to show whole room as the five enter. Star Wars, Harry Potter movie posters on the walls; bed adorned with Starry Night-patterned comforter. Close-up on Zack (facing camera) as he points.

ZACK  
I didn’t write that!

Next to the bed: the whiteboard, with scribbled mathematical calculations and Gallifreyan circle-writing around the edges; but in the middle, in very neat cursive handwriting: I’M WAITING.

ZACK  
I swear I didn’t write that! And it’s changed!

OSIRIS  
I believe you. Doctor?

THE DOCTOR  
Let’s find out then who’s waiting for us.

 

CUT TO:  
15 – INT. TESSIE

The Doctor and company (camera following) re-enter Tessie’s console room.

ZACK  
Who is “C”?

THE DOCTOR  
I don’t know, Zack, but I don’t like strangers messing about in my box!

They run into the TARDIS.

 

CUT TO:  
16 – INT. TARDIS

(Camera facing) The Doctor and company enter his TARDIS. They all look around while The Doctor whips out his sonic. Osiris does the same, which catches The Doctor by surprise.

OSIRIS  
Helping out.

THE DOCTOR  
Okay.

He scans the console room clockwise; she, counter-clockwise.

THE DOCTOR  
Alright, then, mystery scribe. Who are you, and where are you? Come out, come out, wherever you are!

CLARA – O/C  
Doctor?

THE DOCTOR  
What is it, Osiris?

Zack looks at his mother. She shakes her head, shrugs.

CLARA – O/C  
Why don’t you just ask me?

THE DOCTOR  
Ask you what?

Osiris looks around, searching. Samantha looks around, searching. Rigsy and Zack, too; all searching for the source of that familiar voice. The Doctor turns to face a very confused-looking Osiris as Clara speaks again, from?

CLARA – O/C  
About how I got the writing on your chalkboard. Aren’t you curious?

THE DOCTOR  
I am, about that, but how are you doing this?

CLARA – O/C  
Doing what?

OSIRIS  
Doing what?

THE DOCTOR  
This! This! Throwing your voice like that. It’s incredible!

OSIRIS  
But I

THE DOCTOR  
Where’d you learn it? Was it Ysofracti? I’ve never been, but I hear they’re the best ventriloquists in the whole universe.

OSIRIS  
But

THE DOCTOR  
Oh, come on! That’s a really impressive skill.

OSIRIS  
Well, sorry to disappoint you, Doctor, but I’m not doing it.

THE DOCTOR  
Well, then who is doing it?

CLARA – O/C  
It’s me. I’m doing it.

The Doctor turns about, looking at each of the others, all looking equally confused.

CLARA – O/C  
Whatever it is that I’m actually… doing.

He turns back toward Osiris. A translucent, cloudy form starts to appear between Osiris and Samantha.

RIGSY / SAMANTHA / ZACK  
Whoa!

CLARA  
Which isn’t ventriloquism. I’m really not trying to throw my voice.

She now realizes the obvious.

CLARA  
Oh, I get it now. You can’t see me, can you? Right, sorry about that. Got a little carried away, running ahead of myself, there. Hang on.

Clara makes herself more clearly visible, minus one tiny detail. (Camera over Clara’s bare shoulder with Doctor facing. Shots of The Doctor and others trying not to stare.)

CLARA  
O-kay, what’s wrong?

Samantha breaks the news.

SAMANTHA (sotto voce)  
Clothes.

CLARA  
Oh, yes, right. That would be a good thing, wouldn’t it?

Clara is now dressed like Osiris.

CLARA  
Psychometric projections are more work than you might think. Hope you all appreciate the effort this is taking. I’m burning up a star just have this chat in person!

THE DOCTOR  
I feel like I’ve heard that before.

CLARA  
Yeah. Me, too.

THE DOCTOR (pointing to Osiris)  
Well, if you’re not throwing your voice, Osiris, then how are you projecting yourself. With a younger version of you, at that.

OSIRIS  
But that’s not me.

THE DOCTOR  
Huh?

CLARA  
Doctor, it’s me!

THE DOCTOR  
Yes, I know it’s you. But I wanna know how you’re duplicating yourself?

OSIRIS  
I’m not. That isn’t me.

THE DOCTOR  
What?

OSIRIS  
This is Clara.

THE DOCTOR  
No, it’s not.

OSIRIS  
Yes, it is.

CLARA  
Yes, Doctor, it is.

THE DOCTOR  
But… I thought Clara was taller, with blonde hair and big lips.

CLARA  
Grrrr.

THE DOCTOR  
Uh, okay then: maybe taller, with ginger hair and thin lips?

CLARA  
Fancying a premature regeneration, are we?

Rigsy then asks the obvious question.

RIGSY  
So, you’re a ghost, then?

CLARA  
Not really a ghost, no. This is a psychometric projection – an imprint, if you like – based on what you remember about me.

RIGSY  
Okay, whatever.

SAMANTHA  
But how does that work for Zack and me? We’ve never met you.

CLARA  
Osiris has probably told you a lot about me, though, hasn’t she?

Nods of acknowledgement from, Osiris, Zack and Samantha.

THE DOCTOR  
But if you’re a psychometric projection, then why do I see you? My memories of you are… damaged. I turn away and it’s like you were never there.

SAMANTHA  
Then don’t turn away.

THE DOCTOR  
You know what I mean. Events I remember – well, mostly remember. Details about you, though, they-they fall away into some deep crevice somewhere in

CLARA  
Your subconscious.

THE DOCTOR  
Yes, probably.

CLARA  
Yes, absolutely! You haven’t lost your memories, Doctor. They’re just miss-filed.

THE DOCTOR  
So you’re saying you’re stimulating my subconscious to project an image of you in my cerebral cortex.

CLARA  
Yes.

THE DOCTOR  
Impressive!

ZACK  
A kinda shimmery projection, like a ghost.

CLARA  
Yes. That’s because I’m really just a ball of energy. Soul energy, to be precise.

RIGSY  
Still not quite the ghosts you see in movies. I would’ve expected something a little… I dunno, scarier.

CLARA  
But Rigsy, I’m not a… Okay. Just to clarify: this is what you really mean by a poltergeist, or a ghost.

Fx: Clara instantly doubles in size and morphs into that hideous alien creature from, you know, Alien? Or the Polymorph from series 3 of Red Dwarf? Alien-Clara then lets out a screechy, metallic roar, startling everyone. (quick two-shots of Team TARDIS, noticeably frightened) Clara then returns to her previous state, looking just a teeny bit… well, smug?

CLARA  
There you go!

THE DOCTOR  
You’ve been waiting a very long time to do that, haven’t you?

CLARA  
Oh, you have no idea!

RIGSY  
So that’s your idea of a ghost?

CLARA  
Yeah! What? Was it too scary?

OSIRIS  
Y’think?

ZACK  
Do it again!

THE DOCTOR  
Let’s just say we weren’t expecting that sort of ghost.

ZACK  
Do it again!

Zack and Samantha do a high-five. Osiris raps Zack on the head.

OSIRIS / ZACK  
No! / Ow! Why not?

CLARA  
See, he gets it!

OSIRIS  
Yeah, and he’ll have nightmares about it for a week!

CLARA  
Speaking of stimulating your subconscious, this is kind of important.

Clara approaches The Doctor, taps him on the head, giving him a shock.

THE DOCTOR  
Ow!

CLARA  
Memory tap, as much as is allowed under the laws of cause and effect.

THE DOCTOR  
For what?

CLARA  
What are you remembering, right now?

THE DOCTOR  
Waking up.

 

FADE TO:  
17 – LISTEN FLASHBACK SCENE

Fx: interior visual of the lonely farmhouse on Gallifrey. Then, a young Doctor, awakening. Shot changes focus to show an unarmed toy soldier.

THE DOCTOR – V/O  
I’m in the loft of that farmhouse where I spent part of my childhood.

CLARA – V/O  
And?

THE DOCTOR –V/O  
And… and, there’s a soldier, a toy soldier. It wasn’t there when I went to sleep.

CLARA – V/O  
Anything strange about that soldier?

THE DOCTOR – V/O  
He doesn’t have a gun.

He then hears a whispered voice:

CLARA, from Listen – V/O (sotto voce)  
A soldier so brave he doesn’t need a gun.

 

FADE TO:  
18 – INT. TARDIS

CLARA  
You remember his name?

THE DOCTOR  
No, I… wait. Yes. It was… Dan the Soldier Man?

CLARA  
For Danny Pink, yes.

THE DOCTOR  
No, no, no, not Pink. Never use a colour for a surname.

CLARA  
But the name should sound familiar, yes?

THE DOCTOR  
It does! Why?

CLARA  
Ex-boyfriend of mine. Ex-soldier, maths teacher, hit by a car.

THE DOCTOR  
“Hit by a car?” That’s a strange occupation.

Clara glares at The Doctor.

CLARA  
Was hit by a car. Led to a run-in with your old frenemy, Missy, and some Cybermen. Well, quite a lot of Cybermen, actually.

THE DOCTOR  
At St. Paul’s, yes! Wait. You were there, too? You really got around!

CLARA  
I had a friend with a Type 40 TARDIS. You might remember him?

THE DOCTOR  
Yes, and I’m starting to remember a certain young lady’s sarcasm, too!

CLARA  
Good. So back to the memory tap: do you remember what you dreamt about the night before you found the toy soldier?

THE DOCTOR  
There was a voice: someone talking to me about fear, and how being afraid didn’t have to make me cruel or cowardly. They said: Fear

CLARA / THE DOCTOR  
can make you kind.

THE DOCTOR  
How did you know that?

CLARA (spooky ghost voice)  
I see everything! (back to normal voice) I was there.

THE DOCTOR  
You were there? On Gallifrey?

CLARA  
I wasn’t sure where we were until I heard someone say ‘Academy’ and ‘Time Lord’.

THE DOCTOR  
How did we get there? And where was I?

CLARA  
Unconscious. Long story.

THE DOCTOR  
I can wait.

CLARA  
Doctor, you have the attention span of a five-year-old on candy floss! Check your TARDIS core log. You’ll figure out the sequence of events.

THE DOCTOR  
You know about the TARDIS core log?

CLARA  
Of course! The important thing, Doctor, is this: I would never have met your younger self, and given you the toy soldier, if it weren’t for us meeting a Colonel Orson Pink at the end of the universe. Dan the Soldier Man was his – a family heirloom passed down from a time-traveling great-grandparent.

THE DOCTOR  
And who was that?

CLARA  
Me.

THE DOCTOR  
You had a family? I don’t remember children, except for (points to Rigsy) Lucy.

CLARA  
That’s the point, Doctor. I didn’t. But Orson Pink has my DNA, as well as Danny’s.

THE DOCTOR  
Your ‘hit-by-a-car’ ex-boyfriend.

CLARA  
Yes.

The Doctor ponders on this for a moment.

THE DOCTOR  
Why do I have a feeling you’re about to ask us to solve a little puzzle for you.

CLARA  
Always the clever one, Doctor!

SAMANTHA  
Just so I understand: you want us to help you – that is, you in the past-tense – hook up with your long-dead ex so you can shag him and start a pre-mortem family?

CLARA  
Not exactly. You can improvise with a… clever idea.

SAMANTHA  
Glad to hear we can ‘improvise’ a DNA share, all so you and a past-tense Doctor can have a chat about fear at the end of the Universe. Paradoxes? What paradoxes?!

CLARA  
Logistics, Samantha – it is Samantha, right? It’s merely logistics, to ensure a fixed-point-in-time event.

The image of Clara starts to flicker. She looks at her watch.

CLARA  
Damn! Gotta go. Work to do.

RIGSY  
Work? You’ve got more kids to scare?

ZACK  
Bring it on!

CLARA  
Nah. Rustle up dark matter. The next Big Bang won’t happen all by itself!

THE DOCTOR  
But Clara, wait! If you leave, I’ll… I’ll probably forget you again!

CLARA  
Probably, yes, but it’ll all come back in time. So will I, Doctor, I promise. Wish I could hug you, though. (pause) Goodbye, for now.

Fx: Clara’s image rapidly thins, disappears, as if sucked through a narrow opening. The others look on, puzzled for a moment, before The Doctor asks

THE DOCTOR  
So, how do we do this?

OSIRIS  
I thought clever ideas were your department, Doctor.

THE DOCTOR  
If you insist. (paces, thinking) Well, starting with the easy: I suppose you could just ask Danny Pink for a sperm bank donation.

OSIRIS  
And how do you suppose I do that?

THE DOCTOR  
I believe humans usually begin such undertakings with something called a… date?

OSIRIS  
But why me? Because I look like Clara?

THE DOCTOR  
If you say so. Anyway, I’m sure Danny and Clara snogged a lot on such occasions. (makes grossed-out 8-yr-old-boy face) Tongues and all, probably.

OSIRIS  
Yeah, I was sort of there. Never mind patronizing,

Osiris flips her hair up in her hands, holding a few strands in one.

OSIRIS  
how am I supposed to explain the sudden grey hairs?

THE DOCTOR  
Yeah, I was going to mention that, now that you’ve… mentioned it.

OSIRIS  
Oh, you were, were you?

SAMANTHA  
Guys?

OSIRIS  
Don’t suppose you have a clever explanation for this, too, then?

THE DOCTOR  
I don’t know. Finger in a socket? Hallowe’en zombie makeup gone horribly wrong?

SAMANTHA  
Doctor!

THE DOCTOR  
School parent night?

SAMANTHA  
Attention Team TARDIS! I think I might have a… clever idea.

THE DOCTOR  
Oh.

RIGSY  
(sighs) Thank you.

OSIRIS  
All ears, Sammy.

SAMANTHA  
I’ll preface my remarks by warning that you may not like it.

OSIRIS  
Fire away. Couldn’t be much worse than (points at The Doctor)

SAMANTHA  
Well, it is a tad macabre, and will undoubtedly involve breaking some British laws… probably twice, actually, now that I think about it.

OSIRIS  
Oh, goodie.

THE DOCTOR  
What sort of laws are we talking about, Samantha?

SAMANTHA  
Um, just the usual ones involving… y’know, not interfering with dead bodies.

OSIRIS  
Oh, dear God!

THE DOCTOR  
Well, that’s original!

SAMANTHA  
Guys!

RIGSY  
I’m taking back my ‘thank you’.

OSIRIS (to Doctor)  
What do you think? Black velvet dress, strappy pumps?

SAMANTHA  
Hear me out!

 

CUT TO:  
19 – EXT. OFFICE OF THE CORONER, LONDON – NIGHT

Fx: sound of the TARDIS materializing nearby.

THE DOCTOR - O/C  
Okay, here we go.

CAPTION: NOVEMBER, 2014

CUT TO:  
20 – MORGUE EXAMINING ROOM – NIGHT

The Doctor, wearing a nicely cut suit, (camera following) walks into the examining room. Osiris and Samantha (in scrubs) are looking in one of the cadaver drawers.

THE DOCTOR  
Did you find him?

SAMANTHA  
Pink, R.D.

OSIRIS  
Yep.

They pull the drawer open. Camera fades to shot across table (low angle) as Osiris works a long syringe. The sheet that covered Danny Pink’s body is piled up beside him, partly obscuring the view (to keep this episode G-rated).

OSIRIS  
Almost there.

SAMANTHA  
Not exactly a ‘hard-to-find’ destination.

OSIRIS  
Shut up!

SAMANTHA  
Did Clara see him like this? All busted up?

OSIRIS  
Yes. Very unpleasant business, that. She came here tomorrow to formally ID him.

SAMANTHA  
Someday, I’ll get used to hearing “she came here tomorrow”.

The Doctor keeps watch at the door. He hears a voice. A two-way radio clicks noisily open.

THE DOCTOR  
Someone’s coming.

OSIRIS  
A timely distraction, please? Nearly there.

THE DOCTOR  
I’ll do one better!

The Doctor flashes his psychic paper at the security guard as she walks up.

GUARD  
Excuse me, but I’ll need to see ID from each of you, Doctor

THE DOCTOR  
John Smith, exactly. I have with me Doctor Oswald – she’s the one with the syringe – and Doctor Kane. As you can see, we’re from UNIT, and Sgt. Pink here is… well, was

GUARD  
UNIT? Never heard

THE DOCTOR  
Of course you haven’t! Defence and Scotland Yard report to us! The person whose voice you’ll hear next is Kate Lethbridge-Stewart, Chief Scientific Officer. She’s in charge of the Sperm-link Early TOD program.

GUARD  
Sperm-link? TOD?

The Doctor whips his phone out like a playing card in a magic trick, hands it to the guard.

THE DOCTOR  
Time of death. This is a morgue, after all, Ms?

GUARD  
MacIntyre, Joyce MacIntyre.

THE DOCTOR  
MacIntyre, yes. (points to phone, faint ringing) Speed-dial engaged.

KATE (phone)  
Hello? Doctor?

The Doctor motions for Ms. MacIntyre to answer. Osiris and (mostly) Samantha watch, amazed.

GUARD  
Hello? Am-am I speaking to a Kate

 

CUT TO:  
21 – INT. UNIT HQ – NIGHT

Shot through glass map panel into Kate’s office: photos of Doctors/companions across the wall behind her desk. Kate looks as though she’s just awoken.

KATE  
Kate Lethbridge-Stewart, yes. Who is this?

GUARD (phone)  
Security Officer MacIntyre, London City Morgue. I have with me

KATE  
Morgue? Dear God, what’s happened?

 

CUT TO:  
22 – MORGUE EXAMINING ROOM – NIGHT

GUARD  
I dunno, Ma’am! There’s these three doctor’s here, from the Sperm-link Early TOD program, examining a body, and one of them said

 

CUT TO:  
23 – INT. UNIT HQ – NIGHT

KATE  
Doctors? By any chance is one of those ‘doctors’ a Dr. John Smith?

GUARD (phone)  
Yes, Ma’am.

KATE  
Put him on.

GUARD (phone)  
But Ma’am, do they have

KATE  
Situation Code:

 

CUT TO:  
24 – INT. MORGUE EXAMINING ROOM – NIGHT

KATE (phone)  
Brother Mine

GUARD  
Brother Mi- Uh… oh, uh, response code: Mycroft!

 

CUT TO:  
25 – INT. UNIT HQ – NIGHT

KATE  
Now: kindly return the phone to Dr. Smith and leave the area at once.

GUARD (phone)  
Yes, Ma’am!

 

CUT TO:  
26 – MORGUE EXAMINING ROOM – NIGHT

Ms. MacIntyre nervously hands the phone back. She quickly walks down the hall, as if in mortal danger.

THE DOCTOR  
What did you say to her?

KATE (phone)  
Basically,

 

CUT TO:  
27 – INT. UNIT HQ – NIGHT

KATE  
I told her you were preparing for bio-warfare with aliens. What the Hell’s going on, Doctor? And what is “Sperm-link Early TOD?” I’ve figured out the “TOD” part.

THE DOCTOR (phone)  
We’re extracting sperm from a Sgt. Danny Pink.

KATE  
Danny Pink? Are we talking about the Danny Pink who used to teach at Coal Hill?

 

CUT TO:  
28 – MORGUE EXAMINING ROOM – NIGHT

KATE (phone)  
Dated Miss Oswald?

THE DOCTOR  
The one and the same, yes.

KATE (phone)  
But he died eleven…

 

CUT TO:  
29 – INT. UNIT HQ – NIGHT

KATE  
no.

THE DOCTOR (phone)  
Yes, Kate.

KATE  
You’re talking to me from 2014.

THE DOCTOR (phone)  
That’s right.

KATE  
Eleven years ago!

 

CUT TO:  
30 – MORGUE EXAMINING ROOM – NIGHT

THE DOCTOR  
Almost twelve, actually. Listen, Kate: thank you for the distraction. I knew I could rely on you, but I really must be

KATE (phone)  
Doctor, wait! The Sec Daleks. I have news about the bio-weapons they left behind.

THE DOCTOR  
What news? Good news, I hope.

KATE (phone)  
Afraid not.

 

CUT TO:  
31 – INT. UNIT HQ – NIGHT

KATE  
The one in Athens has activated. My team thinks it’s sensitive to jarring motions, like

THE DOCTOR (phone)  
A kick?

KATE  
Yes, a kick. How did you know?

 

CUT TO:  
32 – MORGUE EXAMINING ROOM – NIGHT

THE DOCTOR  
Lucky guess?

KATE (phone)  
Okay, and what’s this about Mr. Pink’s sperm extraction?

THE DOCTOR  
Better to explain in person. I might need a chart or two. How long, Kate?

KATE (phone)  
Until it goes off? We don’t know. We could use your help translating the symbols.

THE DOCTOR  
Right, then. I’ll be back as soon as I can.

KATE phone)  
And Mr. Riggins?

THE DOCTOR  
Mr. Riggins? Ah, Rigsy, yes! Safe and sound. Late for dinner, though.

 

CUT TO:  
33 – INT. UNIT HQ – NIGHT

THE DOCTOR (phone)  
Probably regretting the babysitting assignment.

KATE  
Babysitting? His daughter? I thought she

THE DOCTOR (phone)  
No, my son. Gotta go, Kate.

Kate looks at her phone in disbelief, mouths “What?”

 

CUT TO:  
34 – INT. MORGUE EXAMINING ROOM – NIGHT

The Doctor hangs up as Osiris takes a tiny glass cube from her pocket. She injects the sperm into the cube.

SAMANTHA  
A stasis cube?

OSIRIS  
Uh-huh. Who needs nitrogen to freeze these little fellas when you can hold them in suspended animation for millions of years? Billions, even!

THE DOCTOR  
We have an additional problem back in 2025. Sec Daleks and their sterilization bombs. Seems one of them has started counting down.

OSIRIS  
Time?

THE DOCTOR  
I don’t know. But we should go back and find out.

SAMANTHA  
Back to the future, then, Doc Brown!

THE DOCTOR  
No, no, no, no. Never use a colour for a surname!

 

CUT TO:  
35 – CAVE CITY CORRIDOR – NIGHT

Fx: the TARDIS and Tessie materialize side-by-side inside the cave city. The Doctor and Rigsy exit first, followed by Osiris and Samantha. Rigsy and Samantha turn on torches to look around as they walk. Sonics out. Samantha and Osiris are impressed by the interior architecture.

SAMANTHA  
(whistles) Wow.

THE DOCTOR  
Where’s Zack?

OSIRIS  
Still playing Monster Catcher.

 

CUT TO:  
36 – INT. ZACK’S BEDROOM

Close-up of Zack’s phone, with new message: NEW PLAYER AVAILABLE: V20M14M23I08Z. A hand grabs the phone.

OSIRIS - O/C  
I have to physically detach him from his phone sometimes to get his attention!

 

CUT TO:  
37 – CAVE CITY CORRIDOR – NIGHT

THE DOCTOR  
He should come out here and have a look at this.

OSIRIS  
Remember the sandcastle photo?

THE DOCTOR  
Yeah? Oh, yeah, right. (pause) Did he really design that, all by himself?

OSIRIS  
Yes.

RIGSY  
We’re at the bend. The steps must be close.

Around the bend, they reach the steps leading up to the excavation. The Doctor leads the others single file.

 

CUT TO:  
38 – INT. WATERMAIN EXCAVATION – NIGHT

At the top of the steps, The Doctor begins to study the sterilization bomb. It’s beeping faster than it was before.

THE DOCTOR  
Rigsy, Sam: your torches.

The Doctor runs a diagnostic survey of the bomb with his sonic.

THE DOCTOR  
(to Rigsy) Seems we don’t have to worry about light waves now. Unfortunately, breaking into our little friend here to disarm him will also set him off. And we have only (looks at sonic) sixteen minutes to work out a solution.

OSIRIS  
Aren’t these devices triggered by negative emotions?

THE DOCTOR  
Yes, and vibrations. You know of these, then?

OSIRIS  
Heard of, yes. So what do you think triggered the countdown?

THE DOCTOR  
In this case, vibration. Or, to put it more precisely, a kick. (pause) Me.

OSIRIS  
What? You kicked the bukid? What on Earth for?

RIGSY  
It’s called a bucket?

OSIRIS  
(points) See that symbol on the front? It’s ancient kaled for ‘bomb’.

SAMANHTA  
So he kicked the bukid!

The others start to giggle.

THE DOCTOR  
Stop laughing! This is serious!

OSIRIS  
Aw, you have to admit you’ve made a heavy situation a little bit lighter. Now, you said there was more than one bomb. How many?

THE DOCTOR  
According to Jenofonte Sec, twenty-seven, dispersed all over the Earth.

OSIRIS  
And if they’re triggered psychically, as well as physically, that means they’re probably linked, like

THE DOCTOR  
Like the Dalek path web, yes. Which means if one device goes off, they

OSIRIS  
Then they all go off, like Minesweeper.

THE DOCTOR  
Minesweeper?

RIGSY  
It’s a game: you uncover spaces on a board, trying to avoid the ones with mines hidden underneath. If you uncover even one mine, they all go off – game over.

The Doctor’s phone starts to buzz. He reads the incoming text (tight on phone screen):

DOCTOR: WORD IS OUT ACROSS EUROPE ABOUT STERILIZATION BOMBS. PANIC IN MAJOR CITIES WHILE UNIT SEARCHES FOR DEVICES. TABLOIDS! KATE

THE DOCTOR  
Well, isn’t that just great?

OSIRIS  
More trouble?

THE DOCTOR  
Oh, yes. People have heard about our little friend here, and its other little friends.

OSIRIS  
How?

THE DOCTOR  
Anonymous tip, I guess, phoned in to a tabloid.

SAMANTHA  
But if only UNIT and we four know about the bombs, who else would stand to gain?

RIGSY  
Jenofonte. (everyone turns to him) He has my phone. Sorry.

THE DOCTOR  
No! Don’t apologize for Jenofonte’s actions. Besides, we need solutions. We need to get creative here, and quick! All ideas are welcome.

RIGSY  
Cat videos? To calm everyone down?

THE DOCTOR  
Okay, maybe not all ideas.

SAMANTHA  
No, Doctor, he’s right. People get really relaxed watching anything funny or cute.

THE DOCTOR  
Yes, I know it works, but how do you suppose we get everyone to watch them?

SAMANTHA  
Couldn’t we get UNIT’s help in commandeering Internet for a bit?

ZACK  
We don’t need UNIT.

Everyone turns to the nine-year-old at the top of the steps.

ZACK  
We can run every Internet search engine through Tessie’s Comms panel, without anyone knowing about it. TV news channels, too. Then we can set it up so that with every search for a news story is redirected to links to cute and funny videos.

OSIRIS  
Please tell me you haven’t done this before.

ZACK  
I haven’t done this before.

OSIRIS  
(sighs) Good.

ZACK  
Not on this scale.

Before Osiris can rebuke their son, The Doctor jumps in.

THE DOCTOR  
How fast can you set this up?

ZACK  
It’s already set up. I… (looks nervously at his mum) I never actually dismantled my Monster Catcher beta test from last year.

OSIRIS  
Zack!

THE DOCTOR  
I know. We’ll ground him later. And the redirect?

ZACK  
I just have to switch it away from the Prime Minister’s twitter account.

RIGSY  
So that’s how the alien abduction story got started!

 

CUT TO:  
39 – INT. TESSIE

Fx: the TARDIS materializes inside Tessie’s console room. The five run through Tessie’s doors. Zack goes under the console, pulls out an apple box, sets himself up at the Comms panel. The others watch in amazement as little fingers fly across the keyboard. On the wide viewscreen: a map of the Earth appears. Close-ups on continents show flickers of light.

OSIRIS (to The Doctor)  
Our DNA at work!

ZACK  
Those are current searches for news stories. People switching to news channels.

THE DOCTOR  
Okay, hopefully that slows the countdown. But we still need to deal with the devices themselves.

SAMANTHA  
Too bad we don’t have a teleport big enough to pick them all up at once.

OSIRIS  
Actually, we do. Doctor?

THE DOCTOR  
HADS, yes.

SAMANTHA  
Hostile Action Displacement System? But

THE DOCTOR  
No. Hostile Action Dispersal System. We set the number of pieces to break the TARDIS into, and then simultaneously materialize each around a bomb.

RIGSY  
But we don’t even know where they all are.

OSIRIS  
We don’t have to. Zack?

Zack moves his apple box to Tessie’s telepathic circuit, and climbs up. Fingers in the spongey material, he closes his eyes.

OSIRIS  
Okay, Zack. Breathe slowly now. Remember what the bukid looks like? (nods) Good. Now, think this question: where are the other bukids? Let it tell you where. (noises) And there we are!

The map now shows the locations of all twenty-seven Sec Dalek bukids. One (close-up) is in the Thames River.

THE DOCTOR  
I always thought telepathic circuits only work on people. You know, thinking bipeds?

OSIRIS  
All organic material thinks at some level, Doctor, even infectious disease microbes.

SAMANTHA (to Rigsy)  
Time Lord DNA at work!

THE DOCTOR  
Now we need to materialize each detached section of TARDIS around a bukid, and get it away from the Earth.

The Doctor runs back into his TARDIS, Osiris following.

OSIRIS  
You don’t want to use both of our time ships?

 

CUT TO:  
40 – INT. TARDIS

THE DOCTOR  
Probably better to use just one, but thanks.

OSIRIS  
Suit yourself. (pause) Sorry I didn’t bring Zack to you sooner.

THE DOCTOR  
It’s alright. I probably would’ve been too distracted, anyway.

OSIRIS  
Yeah.

Osiris and Rigsy pass each other at the doorway. He watches The Doctor at work.

RIGSY  
You’ll probably want to spend more time with your son, then.

THE DOCTOR  
Probably, yeah.

RIGSY  
Okay, then, once the danger has passed, you can… y’know.

The Doctor snaps his fingers. TARDIS doors close. He releases the time rotor handbrake. Vworps and moving lights.

THE DOCTOR  
No, I don’t know.

RIGSY  
Drop me off, I mean. He is family, after all.

THE DOCTOR  
That’s not the whole story, though, is it? Is it because Osiris reminds you of someone I barely remember?

RIGSY  
Yes! And because I miss my daughter. And… because that someone you barely remember died for my daughter’s sake.

THE DOCTOR  
Alright, then, Rigsy. I’ll drop you off. Meanwhile,

He slips on his sonic shades, taps the bridge, and

 

CUT TO:  
41 – EXT. TARDIS

Fx: twenty-six smaller copies of the TARDIS separate from the parent ship, surround it in orbit above the Earth.

THE DOCTOR – O/C  
Fetch!

Fx: the mini TARDIS’ zip down to the Earth below.

 

CUT TO:  
42 – TARDIS / BUKID SEQUENCE

Fx: mini TARDIS’ materialize around bukids under water at: (captions) the Nile near Giza; the Ganges near Kolkata; the Hoover Dam; and the Thames under the Millennium Bridge.

 

CUT TO:  
43 – INT. TARDIS

THE DOCTOR – O/C  
Retrieve!

 

CUT TO:  
44 – EXT. TARDIS

Fx: the mini TARDIS’ rematerialize around the parent ship, and then merge with it.

 

CUT TO:  
45 – INT. TARDIS

THE DOCTOR  
(smiles) And with time to spare!

Fx: Tessie materializes in the TARDIS console room, disguised as a refrigerator. Osiris and Samantha step out.

OSIRIS  
We didn’t bring Zack because… the bombs.

THE DOCTOR  
Right. Shall we check on them then? (to Rigsy, Sam) You don’t have to go. After all, you might want to have kids someday.

SAMANTHA  
Yeah, when I grow up!

RIGSY  
Me and Jen can’t afford another kid, anyway.

The Doctor motions down the stairs to a corridor.

 

CUT TO:  
46 – INT. STOREROOM

A door opens into a white room with Classic Who-era roundels on the walls. The Doctor, Rigsy, Samantha and Osiris enter. Camera pans around to show an assemblage of Sec Dalek bukids in four uneven rows, beeping rapidly. Still in his sonic shades, The Doctor walks over to examine one of the bukids. He doesn’t like what he sees or hears.

THE DOCTOR  
Something’s wrong. Something’s very, very wrong.

RIGSY  
The beeping. It’s faster. Should it be faster?

THE DOCTOR  
No. it should be slower, but I don’t understand. It should’ve worked.

SAMANTHA  
Twenty-six.

DOCTOR  
I’m sorry?

SAMANTHA  
There are twenty-six bombs in here. You said there are twenty-seven, right?

THE DOCTOR  
Yes.

SAMANTHA  
But there’s only twenty-six. I’ve counted, twice.

The Doctor and the others start counting. One sterilization device is definitely missing.

THE DOCTOR  
But that’s impossible! I made twenty-six copies to retrieve the bombs. They should all be here!

OSIRIS  
Doctor: you said twenty-six TARDIS copies. Did you use the TARDIS itself to retrieve one of the bombs?

RIGSY  
I don’t remember us going anywhere.

Rigsy and The Doctor look at each other until it suddenly dawns on The Doctor.

THE DOCTOR  
No! We didn’t. You’re right, we didn’t! I guess I got so focused on creating the copies that I… but

The Doctor runs a hand through his hair, sighs. His look: frustration? embarrassment?

OSIRIS  
The important thing is to find out which one is still down there.

THE DOCTOR  
Yes, yes, you’re absolutely right. That, and how much time we have.

The Doctor slips on his sonic shades and scans the room.

THE DOCTOR  
It’s the one in Athens. The first one.

Osiris has her sonic shades on, too.

OSIRIS  
Countdown’s accelerating. Two and a half minutes.

THE DOCTOR  
Then let’s go!

 

CUT TO:  
47 – INT. TARDIS

Running up the steps into the console room with the others, Samantha checks her watch as The Doctor flips switches at the nav panel.

SAMANTHA  
We’re down to two minutes.

THE DOCTOR  
Luckily, I only have to adjust the co-ordinates a little from the previous lading spot and…

The TARDIS lurches, lets out a four-note warning buzz.

THE DOCTOR  
Okay, why is that happening?

OSIRIS  
That’s the limited space warning.

THE DOCTOR  
Yeah, I know, but why? (pause) How tall would you say that opening below the pipes is?

OSIRIS  
Seven, maybe eight feet.

RIGSY  
Eight feet, max.

OSIRIS  
(nods) And the TARDIS, as a police phone box, is

THE DOCTOR  
Is over nine feet tall. No wonder!

OSIRIS  
Well let’s think. Let’s think. What else can we do?

SAMANTHA  
Ninety-five seconds.

OSIRIS  
Could we teleport it up here?

THE DOCTOR  
Good news, yes. Bad news, it would home in on the console.

OSIRIS  
And end up in here!

THE DOCTOR  
Alternatively, I could teleport down there, and then back up to the storeroom.

OSIRIS  
How?

The Doctor hands Osiris his sonic screwdriver.

THE DOCTOR  
Take this to the storeroom, tell Samantha when you get there. Set it to beacon mode. Activate when Samantha says ‘go’. And then we’ll land inside. Hopefully.

OSIRIS  
On my way.

Osiris runs into the lower corridor.

 

CUT TO:  
48 – INT. TARDIS CORRIDOR

Osiris runs (passing camera) through a curving corridor.

 

CUT TO:  
49 – INT. TARDIS

THE DOCTOR (to Samantha)  
I’ll let you know when I’m in position. Then you tell Osiris.

SAMANTHA  
Got it!

THE DOCTOR  
Here goes!

The Doctor puts his sonic shades back on, taps the corners of the rims, and

Fx: he is enveloped in an upward-moving sheet of lightwaves, and is gone.

 

CUT TO:  
50 – WATERMAIN EXCAVATION – NIGHT

Fx: The Doctor appears trough a downward streak of lightwaves. He runs to the bukid, taps his glasses for a quick scan..

THE DOCTOR  
Sam, how much time?

SAMANTHA – O/C  
Sixty-five seconds.

THE DOCTOR  
Okay. As soon as you hear from Osiris.

SAMANTHA – O/C  
Got it.

 

CUT TO:  
51 – INT. STOREROOM  
In the store room, there is a thud outside. The door slides open, and a panting Osiris runs in, frantically setting the sonic to beacon mode.

OSIRIS  
Helps to open the door first. (pants) Sammy, I’m here!

SAMANTHA – O/C  
Okay, Skipper. Go!

Osiris activates the sonic, which emits a pulsing sound. Seconds go by without a result. She looks about the room – all the bukids are beeping rapidly. On Osiris: desperation.

OSIRIS  
Sammy: time?

SAMANTHA – O/C  
Thirty seconds!

OSIRIS  
Come on, Doctor!

Fx: just then The Doctor and the Athens bukid arrive in a streak of light, right in front of Osiris. He is looking around, for?

OSIRIS  
Glad to see you! What took so long?

THE DOCTOR  
A rat.

OSIRIS  
A what?

THE DOCTOR  
There was this rat, perched on top of a water pipe, and he was frightened by the noise the bukid was making, so I explained that I was going to take it away…

OSIRIS  
You speak rat. Should’ve known!

SAMANTHA – O/C  
Not to rush you guys, but ten seconds!

OSIRIS  
Come on!

They run out the door. The Doctor looks back. Close-up on the Athens bukid. He pushes the door close button, but of course the door takes its sweet time closing.

 

CUT TO:  
52 – TARDIS CORRIDOR

THE DOCTOR  
We’ll be safe out here, once the doors close..

OSIRIS  
If the doors close!

The door closes and locks a second before

 

CUT TO:  
53 – INT. STOREROOM

A final few flashes and beeps, and then the bukids all explode,

 

CUT TO:  
54 – TARDIS CORRIDOR

causing The Doctor and Osiris to fall over against the wall.

THE DOCTOR  
That was close!

OSIRIS  
Too close!

They high-five and embrace.

OSIRIS  
But hey, just like old times!

THE DOCTOR  
Really?

OSIRIS  
Really-rea

Osiris hears a squeak, pulls back.

THE DOCTOR  
What? Not the hugging type?

OSIRIS  
What’s that sound?

THE DOCTOR  
What sound?

OSIRIS  
You know what I’m

Another squeak. From The Doctor’s suit jacket pocket emerges a large grey rat, which climbs up and onto his shoulder.

OSIRIS  
Bloody Hell!

THE DOCTOR  
Language! You’re scaring George. Well okay, the explosion scared George. You swearing isn’t helping his nerves, though.

OSIRIS  
Doctor, very much doubt that “George”, here, speaks English.

THE DOCTOR  
Or Greek, for that matter, but he does speak rat, and so do I.

OSIRIS  
Well, George is catching the very next TARDIS back to Athens. (shudders) And wash your hands after handling him!

Osiris walks out of shot, tossing the sonic at The Doctor.

THE DOCTOR  
Yes, Ma’am! (to George) Sorry.

 

CUT TO:  
55 – INT. TESSIE

Fx: The TARDIS materializes inside Tessie’s console room. The Doctor, sans George and wearing hoodie, exits.

OSIRIS  
About time!

THE DOCTOR  
Story of my life! (to Rigsy) I haven’t forgotten your request. Zack?

SAMANTHA  
Playing Monster Catcher – again!

OSIRIS  
Before you go, Rigsy, I wanted to ask you about Clara and the trap street. What happened after…

RIGSY  
I’ve tried not to think about it.

OSIRIS  
We understand, Rigsy, but our best chance to recover eggs from Clara’s ovaries will be the moment right after her death. Do you remember what happened next?

RIGSY  
The Doctor (to Doctor) – you were out in the street – and he came back to the infirmary with Clara in his arms. (pause) He laid her on a bed in another room. Then he and the Mayor Lady, they talked for a moment before he was… teleported away.

THE DOCTOR  
Don’t remember any of that.

OSIRIS  
And I only remember the part up to the raven. Then I awoke back on Gallifrey.

RIGSY  
I remember the scream like it just happened.

OSIRIS  
Wouldn’t doubt it. Imagine being simultaneously poisoned and electrocuted: every cell, every nerve ending, set alight. It took only seconds, but felt like years, and the pain magnified before it stopped. Sure puts my migraines into perspective!

THE DOCTOR  
Migraines? Time lords don’t get migraines.

OSIRIS  
I’m not all time lord anymore.

THE DOCTOR  
Because you have some of Clara’s DNA?

OSIRIS  
Yes.

SAMANTHA  
So what are you thinking, Skipper?

OSIRIS  
We take Tessie, silent approach, to the infirmary. That’s where you come in, Rigsy.

RIGSY  
How so?

OSIRIS  
Tessie’s telepathic circuit. You’ll have the location of the trap street infirmary etched deep in your memory.

THE DOCTOR  
It links your memory with Tessie’s navigation system. We’ll land right where we need to.

Osiris points Rigsy to the telepathic circuit. Hesitant fingers in the spongey stuff. He closes his eyes. Osiris (close-up) gets her equipment ready as The Doctor talks Rigsy through.

THE DOCTOR  
Concentrate, Rigsy. Remember the trap street. How you got there from outside. Remember the infirmary. What it looks like. Think of that, only that.

 

CUT TO:  
56 – INT. TRAP STREET INFIRMARY – NIGHT

Fx: Tessie, disguised as a first aid cabinet, silently materializes in the middle of the infirmary, much to the surprise of Kabel. He runs out.

KABEL  
Madam Mayor!

THE DOCTOR – O/C  
Right, then. We’ve landed.

 

CUT TO:  
57 – OMITTED  
58 – INT. TRAP STREET INFIRMARY – NIGHT

First The Doctor, then Osiris, Samantha and Rigsy cautiously poke theirs heads out the door, look around as they step out.

RIGSY  
(points) In there.

The four quietly step into the next room.

THE DOCTOR – O/C  
So now what?

OSIRIS – O/C  
We take her back to Tessie. Everyone grab an arm or a leg. Ready? One, two, three!

They carry a very limp Clara from the side room into Tessie.

 

FADE TO:  
59 – INT. TESSIE

In lotus position, Osiris lifts Clara’s jumper as the others look on. She takes out her sonic, starts to scan Clara’s abdomen.

OSIRIS  
No, no, no. Come on!

SAMANTHA  
What is it, Skipper?

OSIRIS  
No, Goddammit!

Osiris throws her sonic across the console room (Doctor ducking) with such force Tessie reacts audibly as it hits the wall opposite. Osiris throws her face in her arms, sighs deeply.

OSIRIS  
(muffled) I thought it would work. I really thought it would work! (sighs, looks up) They’re all dead. Every last ovum, dead. I’m sorry, guys.

THE DOCTOR  
You tried.

SAMANTHA  
So what do we do now?

THE DOCTOR  
We could go further back in Clara’s timeline. You said before, Osiris, I extracted Clara from the moment before she died, and she ran away with another TARDIS. I remember parts of that. (points to lifeless Clara on floor) The clothes… look familiar. Maybe we can catch up to her somewhere out there, ask her politely for a donation?

 

CUT TO:  
60 – INT. TRAP STREET INFIRMARY – NIGHT

Kabel returns, with Mayor Me and Rump. They look at Tessie, then the next room.

OSIRIS – O/C  
I've seen her TARDIS core log. She somehow found a way to shut off its time-positional locator, presumably to evade tracing from Gallifrey.

Mayor Me motions for the others to search the infirmary.

THE DOCTOR – O/C  
You’ve seen her TARDIS core log?

 

CUT TO:  
61 – INT. TESSIE

OSIRIS  
And her diary. Over five thousand entries, but they’re all blank. She didn’t want to be found until she was ready to return. That’s what I heard from Ohila of Karn.

THE DOCTOR  
A diary with five thousand blank entries? That sounds like

OSIRIS  
A clue? According to Ohila, it has something to do with a gravestone in Blackpool. Clara left something there at her grave. I didn’t believe it because I remember Clara making out her will. She wanted her body donated to scientific research, then

Osiris is interrupted by a loud knock on the door.

MAYOR ME – O/C  
Doctor?!

OSIRIS  
Scanner on.

The viewscreen shows Mayor Me, Kabel and Rump outside. They don’t look happy.

MAYOR ME (onscreen)  
That is a clever trick, Doctor, but it won’t work. I know it’s you in there. Don’t try to leave with Clara’s body. I can make the raven come inside.

RIGSY  
Can, can she do that?

THE DOCTOR  
In theory, no. Not without assigning a victim. And that requires physically applying a tattoo. (points to his neck)

MAYOR ME – O/C  
Doctor!

THE DOCTOR  
Still, I’d much rather avoid testing that theory, just in case she proves me wrong.

OSIRIS  
Then we should move. Sammy, get us ready.

SAMANTHA  
On it, Skipper.

OSIRIS  
And what about Clara?

THE DOCTOR  
We bring her with us. Unless… (to Rigsy) Did you remove Clara from the trap street?

RIGSY  
No. But I remember in a news story that Clara was found lying next to an out-of-commission police box,

THE DOCTOR  
“Out-of-commission?”

RIGSY  
so I went over and painted a floral shrine on it.

THE DOCTOR  
I saw that shrine. Nice work, Rigsy.

Rigsy smiles at the acknowledgement. Another loud knock.

MAYOR ME (onscreen)  
I’m giving you ten seconds, Doctor!

OSIRIS  
Seems Her Worship demands an audience. Let’s give her one she won’t soon forget.

Osiris heads for the door.

 

CUT TO:  
62 – TRAP STREET INFIRMARY – NIGHT

Osiris pops her head out the door. Mayor Me is standing there; looks perplexed. Clara was dead, in a blue jumper, only minutes ago. What the hell?

OSIRIS  
What? Killing Clara wasn’t enough? Do you have any idea how much that bloody crow of yours

MAYOR ME  
raven.

OSIRIS  
raven, whatever, hurts? Ever tried it on yourself?

MAYOR ME  
You know why I employ

OSIRIS  
enslave.

MAYOR ME  
the raven. I don’t know what The Doctor did to revive you Clara

OSIRIS  
Oh, I’m not Clara. Rest assured, Me, you killed her – her every cell unrecoverable. But I have a message for you, from the late Clara Oswald. Just two words.

MAYOR ME  
(sighs) What two words?

 

CUT TO:  
63 – INT. TESSIE

The door slams behind Osiris as she walks back to the console, proud as a peacock. Giggles and snorks all around. Except The Doctor, who tries to frown his disapproval.

THE DOCTOR  
Language!

 

CUT TO:  
64 – INT. TRAP STREET INFIRMARY – NIGHT

Fx: Tessie immediately starts to dematerialize. Mayor Me grunts and kicks at the door as it disappears.

 

CUT TO:  
65 – INT. TESSIE

OSIRIS  
I do love the English language. So many colourful phrases. So many exquisite insults. (to Doctor) Our Ancient Gallifeyan, Doctor, could really use their addition!

Even The Doctor can’t hide a smirk! Then, amid the giggling, Zack runs into the console room, stops dead in his tracks at the sight of Clara’s lifeless body. He drops his phone. (close-up on cracked screen) Can you say “awkward moment?”

ZACK  
Mum, what’s going on? Why is she lying there like that?

OSIRIS  
Um, we just recovered Clara here from… from where she died.

ZACK  
And that’s supposed to be funny?

OSIRIS  
Well, no, but

THE DOCTOR  
But your mum got into a verbal sparring match with the person responsible for Clara’s death. That’s what we – er, they – found so funny. I-I didn’t

OSIRIS  
You smirked!

ZACK  
But what are we doing with her?

THE DOCTOR  
We’ll take her to where she was found by the authorities. Rigsy? You’re up again.

Rigsy heads over to the console, re-inserts his fingers into the telepathic circuit. He looks at Clara, closes his eyes. Tessie starts to move.

 

FADE TO:  
66 – LONDON STREET – NIGHT

Fx: Tessie dematerializes, leaving Clara’s body next to The Doctor’s abandoned TARDIS.

RIGSY – O/C  
So, what’s next?

SAMANTHA – O/C  
Well, we’ve tampered with the dead. Twice.

 

CUT TO:  
67 – INT. TESSIE

SAMANTHA  
I say let’s go all in with a little grave robbery!

The others go all head-scratchy. Has she lost her mind?

SAMANTHA  
Come on! What have we got to lose?

 

CUT TO:  
68 - TESSIE CORRIDOR

Unnoticed by the others, Zack walks back down a corridor (camera leading), working his damaged phone. Through the cracked screen (close-up): PLAYER V20M14M23I08Z WANTS TO START NEW GAME AT L12. ACCEPT? Zack taps to accept; keeps walking.

 

CUT TO:  
69 – CEMETERY – NIGHT

The cemetery last seen in The Rings Of Akhaten. A pan shot across the gravestones as we hear the TARDIS materialize off-camera. The pan shot stops as The Doctor, Samantha, Osiris and Rigsy step out. They look around, torches out, for?

OSIRIS  
Something tells me it’s this way.

THE DOCTOR  
You sure?

OSIRIS  
No, but Ellie Oswald’s grave is in that direction.

THE DOCTOR  
Reasonable deduction.

SAMANTHA  
Guys! Over here!

The others approach as Samantha kneels next to a black marble gravestone. In torchlight, it reads:  
“ELLIE OSWALD. BELOVED WIFE AND MOTHER. BORN 11th SEPTEMBER 1960. DIED 5th MARCH 2005.”  
Shot pans right, showing a near-identical gravestone. On this:  
“CLARA OSWALD. TEACHER. TRAVELER. 23rd November 1986 – 21st November 2015. It’s not how many days you live, but how you live each day.”

OSIRIS  
Truer words could not be said.

THE DOCTOR  
There’s something scratched on the top. Numbers.

Samantha raises her torchlight to read the numbers.

SAMANTHA  
5656\. Any significance?

OSIRIS  
Can’t think of anything. Doctor?

THE DOCTOR  
No, but… how many chapters did you say were in Clara’s blank diary?

OSIRIS  
Over five thousand. (penny drops, gasps) Hang on! There were, in fact, exactly five thousand, six hundred, fifty-six entries, counting down from that number to 1!

SAMANTHA  
Okay, so it’s a clue, but to what?

THE DOCTOR  
I dunno, but we came here to have a look at her grave for something, right?

The Doctor pulls out his sonic, scans the grave.

THE DOCTOR  
Ooh. That’s strange.

OSIRIS  
What’s strange?

THE DOCTOR  
The only thing under here is a small box. A small glass box.

RIGSY  
An urn, for ashes, maybe?

THE DOCTOR  
Logical guess, but too small. Let’s find out what it really is.

SAMANTHA  
Where do you think they store the shovels?

THE DOCTOR  
Who needs a shovel when you have trowel mode!

Osiris and The Doctor point their sonics to the ground. Grass and dirt start to fly up like sparks from a blowtorch cutting metal. It takes only a moment before they reach the small glass container. Brushing the dirt away, The Doctor examines it, gives it to Osiris.

SAMANTHA  
Another stasis cube!

Osiris nods. She scans the cube with her sonic, smiles.

OSIRIS  
And wouldn’t you know it? Eggs. Lots and lots of tiny little ovum, just waiting for a hot romantic date with some friendly sperm!

She takes the other stasis cube from her coat pocket, holds them next to each other.

OSIRIS  
Clara Oswald, meet Danny Pink.

THE DOCTOR  
Okay. So what do we do with them once we’ve set them up on that hot romantic date? They’ll need a place to grow for nine months.

OSIRIS  
Don’t look at me! One kid’s enough!

RIGSY  
And you can count Jen out.

SAMANTHA  
I-I might just have another… clever idea.

OSIRIS  
Oh, Sam, please tell me you’re not thinking what I think you’re thinking?

SAMANTHA  
Well, maybe I’ve decided to grow up. Besides, I’ve done some research, and Orson Pink’s grandfather was adopted at nine months. So I’ll only have eighteen months to

OSIRIS  
Eighteen months? Are you crazy? You can’t even remember to water a plant!

SAMANTHA  
You’ll never let me live that down, will you?

OSIRIS  
You had one job, Samantha Kane. One job, and

THE DOCTOR  
I hate to interrupt, but we really should put the dirt back and go before someone comes along. Or, the sun comes up. Or, I spontaneously regenerate.

RIGSY  
Or, Jen divorces me!

THE DOCTOR  
Yes! Let’s get Rigsy home, while he still has a family to go home to. We can brainstorm later on recruiting a great-grandmother for Orson Pink.

The Doctor stops, rubs his hand along (close-up) at the ‘5656’ scratched into the top of Clara’s gravestone.

THE DOCTOR  
Osiris, I’d like to have a look at that blank diary you found in Clara’s TARDIS.

OSIRIS  
Sure. By the way, Doctor: why haven’t you used your own diary to recover your lost memories of Clara? You’ve done it before.

THE DOCTOR  
I have?

OSIRIS  
Yes. Early in your travels with Clara, you accidently scrambled your memory. She found your diary, and your memory recovered as soon as you opened it. It should work again.

THE DOCTOR  
It would, I suppose, if only I could find it again.

OSIRIS  
What do you mean?

THE DOCTOR  
I’ve… misplaced it… somewhere.

OSIRIS  
Oh, goodie.

THE DOCTOR  
Haven’t seen it in ages, so I started a new one, and guess which part is missing?

SAMANTHA  
It’s in the library.

THE DOCTOR  
No, no, no. The part with Donna is still there.

SAMANTHA  
Your old diary, Doctor. It’s in the library. Your library.

THE DOCTOR  
It is?

SAMANTHA  
It is: second floor. Zack and I were hunting for TARDIS manuals earlier today, and we found some dusty old Type 40s in a remote corner in the back. It’s next to them.

OSIRIS  
Filed under “irretrievably lost”, then.

 

CUT TO:  
70 – LONDON BLOCK OF FLATS – DAY

Fx: the TARDIS materializes in front of Rigsy’s building. Rigsy steps out. The Doctor stands at the door.

RIGSY  
I hope it works for you, Doctor. Unscrambling your memories.

THE DOCTOR  
I hope so, too, Christopher Riggins. I wonder, though, if maybe I’ll regret finding what’s been lost.

RIGSY  
At least we’ll be on the same page. We can commiserate.

THE DOCTOR  
Yes, yes we can. Say hi to Jen and Lucy for me, will you?

RIGSY  
I’ll do that. Stay out of trouble, Doctor. (scoffs) What am I saying?

They share a chuckle before The Doctor closes the door. Rigsy starts up the stairs, stops, looks, as he hears that familiar vworping sound, then carries on.

 

CUT TO:  
71 – INT. TARDIS LIBRARY

The Doctor climbs the steps to the second level of his expansive library. Fingers (close-up) slide along the dusty volumes, generating an embarrassed look from the librarian. He carries on around a couple of corners (camera leading) until he finds the Type 40 manuals – three spaces, one empty. Next to the empty space is a very large gold book.

THE DOCTOR  
There you are!

He takes it out, stares at the cover. Close-up as fingers run along the elegantly embossed face of The Doctor’s 2300-year diary. He starts to open the cover but stops. He ponders a moment what to do. Then he snaps the diary shut, turns and takes it with him.

 

CUT TO:  
72 – INT. TARDIS

The Doctor walks up to the console, sets the diary on the floor underneath, sets co-ordinates, and releases the time rotor handbrake. A wide shot as The Doctor walking proudly around his time ship. The TARDIS lands, and The Doctor snaps his fingers to open the doors, to?

 

CUT TO:  
73 – INT. HANGAR – DAY

He steps out into an aircraft hangar with a twin-propeller plane in the middle – the rendezvous point for a mini vacay before Zack goes to the Academy. But where are the others?

THE DOCTOR  
Zack? Osiris? Samantha?

CAPT. JACK  
Doctor?

The familiar voice causes The Doctor to snap around. Jack Harkness, snappily dressed as always. Bomber jacket over his shoulder, he flashes his big, toothy grin.

THE DOCTOR  
What are you doing here?

CAPT. JACK  
And, “nice-to-see-you”, too! Waiting for them, like you, I suppose. By the way, where’d you get the accent, the eyebrows and the crazy professor hair?

THE DOCTOR  
Regeneration. The second since we last met.

CAPT. JACK  
For the record, I like. Especially the accent!

THE DOCTOR  
Well, you haven’t changed very much.

Osiris, Sam, and Zack step out of the plane. Zack appears frustrated with his phone.

OSIRIS  
I see you’ve met our client.

CAPT. JACK  
Ladies. Zack.

SAMANTHA  
Good luck getting his attention. He’s on (air quotes) “level 12”.

THE DOCTOR  
So you… he’s your client? So what’s the game, Jack?

CAPT. JACK  
We’re helping a very important being return to his… no, her… its home planet.

THE DOCTOR  
In Tessie, I suppose. And Tessie is?

OSIRIS  
(points to plane) Right there.

THE DOCTOR  
The airplane!

OSIRIS  
Yes. I programmed it to do that.

THE DOCTOR  
That’s amazing! Uh, what do you mean, you “programmed it to do that?”

OSIRIS  
Sometimes, I need a fully-functional cargo plane. Or, hide Tessie in plain sight. Enter the chameleon circuit autoform interface: form and function in one tidy package.

THE DOCTOR  
The chameleon circuit doesn’t do that!

OSIRIS  
Why not?

THE DOCTOR  
It’s random! It’s supposed to assess its surroundings and instantly come up with the most inconspicuous random disguise possible.

CAPT. JACK  
Like a 1960s police box. In 2025.

THE DOCTOR  
The whole idea is camouflage, to hide in plain sight.

SAMANTHA  
Like a police box.

OSIRIS  
It can do that, and you can program it to resemble particular objects.

THE DOCTOR  
No, it can’t.

OSIRIS  
Yes, it can. It’s in the manual. Remember those dusty olde tomes in your library?

THE DOCTOR  
Well, I haven’t read it in a while. Anyhow, who needs a manual?

CAPT. JACK  
And on that salient point: the important thing, right now, is to bring Xaltenja home.

THE DOCTOR  
Xaltenja? The Great Seer of the Taraxolytes?

CAPT. JACK  
The one and the same! One sec.

Capt. Jack goes around a corner, returns seconds later with a translucent, greyish-white biped about a metre tall, with six tentacles extending from a wide ovular head. Even Zack stops playing his game to watch Xaltenja bring outstretched, pointy-fingered palms together with head bowed. The Doctor and Osiris return the reverent gesture.

THE DOCTOR  
I wish my friend Rigsy was here to meet you, Great Xaltenja.

XALTENJA  
I have sent… Local Knowledge, you call him… a message in a dream. He is aware, Doctor, with my gratitude for alerting you to Jenofonte and the Sigma Gate.

CAPT. JACK  
Xaltenja knows of your encounter with Daleks from a parallel universe.

XALTENJA  
I therefore request, soul-wounded Time Lord, to help us resolve this looming crisis.

THE DOCTOR  
Soul-wounded?

XALTENJA  
By wars and losses uncountable, and yet you try to heal all, even enemies. It is time, Doctor, to heal yourself. Let go of what cannot be changed. Remember and forgive that which you dare not. (pause) Presently, there is danger.

Xaltenja’s attention is drawn to Zack’s phone, which is beeping rapidly. Zack looks at the phone, confused.

XALTENJA  
Your communicator, Zachary, has been altered to locate and entrap you. Leave it. Come to me, and you will be safe.

ZACK  
But it’s just the game.

XALTENJA  
It is a game no longer.

THE DOCTOR  
Zackary. Do as Xaltenja says. Put it down!

Zack tries to turn the game off, but to no avail. The beeps get louder, more rapid. He frantically tries to let go, but can’t.

ZACK  
I can’t! I can’t stop it!

OSIRIS  
Zack! Leave it alone!

ZACK  
I can’t! My hands are stuck! It won’t let me go!

The beeping turns to a continuous high-low pattern. On phone: TRANSMAT ENGAGED. On Zack: terror.

ZACK  
Mum?!

Fx: bluish vertical streaks of light envelop Zack as he disappears.

OSIRIS  
Zack! Zack!

His phone falls to the hangar floor. The Doctor picks it up, reads aloud the message left behind.

THE DOCTOR  
Your son is held at these time-space co-ordinates, to which you will bring the secret you now possess. Lord President Zimmervalé. (sotto voce) Zimmervalé?

OSIRIS  
What are the co-ordinates? Doctor?

The Doctor hands Zack’s phone to Osiris. She reads the co-ordinates. On Osiris: despair.

XALTENJA  
It is I they want. They believe I hold the key to the Sigma Gate.

SAMANTHA  
And what is the Sigma Gate?

CAPT. JACK  
It’s a portal connecting multiple universes. Sigma, in this case meaning all universes. I always thought the Sigma Gate was a spacefarers’ legend. I guess not.

SAMANTHA  
So where have they taken Zack? Skipper?

OSIRIS (sotto voce)  
Gallifrey.

The Doctor and Osiris share a look of absolute dread.

SAMANTHA  
Gallifrey? That-that’s good, isn’t it? That’s where the Academy is. (pause) There’s something wrong, though, isn’t there? Wha-what’s wrong. Doctor?

THE DOCTOR  
The High Council of Gallifrey has opened the Dark Matrix, copied a Time Lord from all their negative aspects. They want to make Gallifrey great again by creating a vengeful, Warlord President, seize control of the Sigma Gate. To do so, they must destroy that Time Lord’s original self.

The Doctor answers the question in Samantha and Jack’s faces.

THE DOCTOR  
And that Time Lord… is me!

 

DISSOLVE TO:  
CAPTION: TO BE CONTINUED

DISSOLVE TO:  
CLOSING TITLES

 

EPILOGUE

 

74 – INT. BANQUET HALL – TWILIGHT

A table stands in the middle of an otherwise empty banquet hall. Door opens from off-camera. Footsteps, getting closer.

CAPTION: EIGHTEEN MONTHS LATER

Samantha Kane walks up to the table, carrying a car seat. She places it on the table. Close-up on nine-month-old baby in car seat, wrapped in a fuzzy yellow blanket. Small envelope pinned to the blanket. Samantha lets the baby squeeze her finger as she speaks.

SAMANTHA  
Your new family will be here soon. They’ll keep you safe and warm, and give you lots of love and attention. And as you grow up, I’ll make friends with the Pinks, and I’ll share with you all kinds of crazy stories about time and space travel. Some stories you’ll believe, some you won’t, but some you’ll share with your kids, and so on, until one day, your grandson will almost by accident meet his time-travelling great-grandmother at the end of the universe. Meanwhile, I want you to know this: even though they can’t be here for you, your real mother and father love you so very, very much. And so do I.

She wipes her eyes, leans over and kisses the baby on the forehead.

SAMANTHA  
Goodbye for now, my little Orson. Love you!

Baby Orson starts to fuss as Samantha leaves. The door opens.

THE DOCTOR – O/C  
Osiris would be proud, you know.

SAMANTHA – O/C  
Yeah. Let’s get outta here before I change my mind.

Close-up of baby Orson as we hear the banquet hall door close, the TARDIS dematerializing. Shot widens to reveal Danny Pink and Clara Oswald standing next to the table. Arm-in-arm, they share a smile as they watch over their son.

FADE OUT

**Author's Note:**

> THE DREAMS OF OSIRIS OSWIN:  
> Scene 16: "Let me be brave." Sarah Dollard, from Face The Raven, DW Story 260, 2015.  
> Scene 50: The Fangirl’s Guide to The Galaxy: A Handbook for Girl Geeks, by Sam Maggs, 2015. And no, 'Samantha Kane' did not get her name from Sam Maggs.  
> Scene 53: "(human souls) ...trapped like flies... Stuck forever, crying out for help." Steven Moffat, paraphrased from The Bells Of St. John, DW Story 232, 2013.  
> Scene 66: Character names Anat, Boaz and Shura created by Louis Marks for The Day Of The Daleks, DW Story 60, 1972.  
> 'TIL DARKNESS BLEEDS DAYLIGHT:  
> Scenes 23, 65: "The secret lies within. I'm trapped. I'm kept inside the cogs." Paul Cornell, from Human Nature, DW Story 185A, 2007.  
> Scene 48: "Reverse the polarity of the neutron flow." Malcolm Hulke, from The Sea Devils, DW Story 62, 1972.  
> Scene 48: “Gotta kick at the darkness ‘til it bleeds dayli-ight.” Bruce Cockburn, lyric from Lovers In A Dangerous Time, from album Stealing Fire, 1987.  
> Scenes 53-58, 60: Ninth Symphony, Fourth Movement (German lyrics). Ludwig van Beethoven, 1824.  
> Scene 60: "Jerky middle name." Rob Grant, Doug Naylor, from The Last Day, Red Dwarf Story 18 (Ep. 3-6), 1989.  
> Scene 62: All, (except parts about the hooded figure). Neil Gaiman, from Nightmare In Silver, DW Story 238, 2013.  
> THE IMPOSSIBLE CHILD:  
> Scene 7: Character name Salyavin (pluralized here) created by Douglas Adams for Shada, unaired DW Story, 1980.  
> Scene 17: "A soldier so brave he doesn't need a gun." Steven Moffat, from Listen, DW Story 245, 2014.  
> Scene 69: Inscription on Ellie Oswald's gravestone. Neil Cross, from The Rings Of Akhaten, DW Story 233, 2013.  
> Scene 74 (Epilogue): Inspired by similar end scene written by Doug Naylor, from Ouroboros, Red Dwarf Story 39 (Ep. 7-3), 1997.  
> 


End file.
